Glass— —
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THE WAR BOOK
OF THE
One Hundred and Sixth Regiment
Field Artillery
UNITED STATES ARMY
1917-1919
THE WAR BOOK
OF THE
One Hundred and Sixth Regiment
Field Artillery
UNITED STATES ARMY
1917-1919
iO
* y*
PREVIOUS HISTORY
The Regiment was organized in Buffalo, New York, in 1848, and
served in the Civil War as the 65th Regiment New York Infantry and as
part of the 187th Regiment New York Volunteers. It served in the
Spanish-American War as the 65th Regiment New York Infantry. On
July 10th, 1916, the Regiment was changed to heavy artillery, and served
on the Mexican Border as the 3rd New York Field Artillery.
The Regiment has received authority to place on the lances of its
standards, silver rings, engraved as follows :
Gettysburg Campaign, 1863; before Petersburg, Va., October, 1864;
Hatcher's Run, October, 1864; Hicksford Raid, Va., December, 1864;
Hatcher's Run, February, 1865 ; Appomattox Campaign, March and April,
1865 ; Gravelly Run, March, 1865 ; White Oak Ridge, March, 1865 ; Five
Forks, April, 1865; Fall of Petersburg, April, 1865; Appomattox Court
House, April, 1865 ; Spanish-American War, 1898.
CHAPTER I.
TRAINING PERIOD
"Joyous Beginnings"
The Regiment was called into the United States service on July 15th,
1917, and drafted into the Army of the United States as the 106th Field
Artillery on August 4th, 1917. About a month later the Regiment was
ordered to Camp Wadsworth, Spartanburg, S. C, for training under
command of Lieut. -Colonel John D. Howland. Here Colonel Frank H.
Hines was assigned to command the Regiment until its departure for
Europe.
With its Mexican Border experience behind it the Regiment progressed
rapidly in its training. Care of horses, dismounted drill, gun drill, road
marches and training of special details, led up to service practice on the
artillery range at Campobello in the Blue Ridge Mountains during March
and April, 1918. During the month of May rumors of the early departure
of the 106th Field Artillery steadily increased in volume, until they became
a veritable roar, echoing and re-echoing throughout the entire confines of
Camp Wadsworth, S. C. Cheerful and carefree at last, the 106th went
about its work of salvaging discarded equipment, of packing, and cleaning
up. For was it not at last finished with the long winter of inactivity? Was
not its dearest hope of taking part in the Great Game about to be realized ?
Even the renowned spy system of the German Imperial Government heard
the news, for reports of the Kaiser's perturbation over the event quickly
spread over the length and breadth of his Dominions. It was not surpris-
ing, therefore, that on the arrival of the 106th at Newport News in the
last days of May, three submarines were reported lurking off the coast
and, indeed, in the very vicinity of the Capes. Undismayed, however, and
with its customary dash, the 106th pawned off its old tableware on its
sister regiments, and in the hush of a hot summer day, June 6th, climbed
aboard the good ship "Matsonia.'' As the land dropped quickly out of
sight, and the ship sped on with its cruiser escort, some anxiety was felt
by the ship's officers concerning the whereabouts of the sea monsters. But
the 106th showed its contempt of danger by promptly going to sleep, and
through this ruse evaded the watchful eyes of the Teutonic sea-hounds.
The success of its exploit can only be appreciated in view of the report
(not verified) that the cruiser, on its return to the coast, fell a ready victim
to the thwarted anger of the submarines, who satisfied their rage at the
4 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
escape of the 106th by mercilessly attacking helpless craft of all sorts,
including coal barges.
The good ship "Matsonia" now lined up with a cruiser of the latest
type and five other transports and day after day pursued a zigzag course
to the Eastward. The solemn procession moved onward with little adven-
ture, and the 106th grew accustomed to crawling around in the dark, for
lights were out after sunset, grew accustomed to sleeping in its tiers of
bunks in the hold, or on warm nights to rolling up on deck, and to the
elastic organization which in active service replaces the straight lines and
regular intervals of the drill field. But two events broke the orderly
progress of the voyage. One was a sudden blast of whistles and reversing
of the engines of the "Matsonia" shortly after dark of the fifth day on
the ocean. The 106th crawled up on deck to see what it was all about,
just in time to note the stern of a strange vessel slide past the "Matsonia's"
bow within hailing distance. The other was the mysterious breakage of
a pair of opera glasses used by the lookout on No. 2 Post, Main Deck.
Who did it? For the entire remainder of the journey, the Adjutant's
office was kept busy sending out memoranda, writing indorsements, return-
ing letters for revision, asking questions, conducting investigations, ami
filing reports. It is a detail scarcely worth mentioning that the voyage
ended before the mystery of the opera glasses was solved, for the breakage
was more than compensated by the innocent occupation which it provided
for so many persons, who would otherwise have suffered from the tedium
of uneventful days.
Towards the end of the voyage the 106th arose before dawn, strapped
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
on its lifebelts, and gathered in the appointed places. Nothing, however,
except the beauty of the sunrise and gradual emergence of the destroyers
out of the mists of the night repaid this excess of virtue. At last, many
small craft appeared; later a great dirigible balloon and finally, the main-
land of France. It was the 18th day of June when the 106th first set foot
on this historic soil, in the old fishng port of St. Nazaire, and felt that
the great adventure had begun. The reports of a rest camp quickly proved
illusory, as prodigies of manual labor were immediately demanded of the
regiment; although it had a total strength of but 1,300, unloading details
of 1,500 were regularly called for. Thus the days sped quickly by, and
the regiment shortly entrained for Bordeaux. It was here, in the quiet,
contented, prosperous village of Grandignan that the 106th enjoyed the
most luxurious of billets, learned to dawdle in true French fashion, and
look on the wine when it was red. The war seemed very far away. With-
out guns, or even horses, the regiment was but an idle spectator in those
days when German might still menaced the common security. Indeed, a
close relation is ascribed by the knowing ones to the proximity of the date
of the great victory at Chateau Thierry and the departure of the 106th
for Camp de Souge.
In this historic training ground all the mysteries of modern warfare
were quickly unfolded before the gasping minds of the eager students.
Barometric pressure, the Italian method, French recoil apparatus, "Y"
lines, and azimuth, the intricacies of the 155mm. Schneider Howitzer were
mastered, and all became familiar friends ; horses and guns were issued ;
the motto of the Y. M. C. A., "We are all out; everything goes to the boys
6 THE WAR BOOK
at the front," grew to be a byword. And yet these virtues were only of
secondary importance, compared to the really great work Camp de Souge
did for its pupils. Situated in a patch of France so barren that it may only
be compared with certain stretches in Texas or the Sahara Desert ; sandy
and glaring, flat, ugly, uninteresting, and infested with three-fourths of all
the flies in existence, it could not fail to awaken a desire to leave for any-
where— even the unknown perils of the Front.
It was here that the Regiment lost its Commanding Officer — Lieut. -
Colonel John D. Howland. In his stead, it acquired the new leader, who
was to guide it through its active service, and mould it into a fighting
outfit — Colonel Emery T. Smith. Here, too, it was joined by its liaison
officer — Lieut. Henri Berteaux — a fine representative of the French Army,
whose experience and help were a constant factor in the work at the front.
And so, fully equipped, on the 6th and 7th of September, the Regiment
entrained for parts unknown.
CHAPTER II
A Quiet Sector
The journey from Bordeaux to Longeville, a small town near Bar-le-
Duc, consumed slightly over two days. It was made under the best of
conditions, fine weather, frequent stops, a surplus of cars, and good
watering conditions for the animals. The small French cars hold eight
horses, four in a row, with heads toward the middle, leaving just room
for two men to sit and attend to the feeding and watering conveniently.
People still waved at the Americans, and the excellent hot coffee arrange-
ments of the Red Cross made the time pass easily. The Regiment
welcomed the orders to start for the front that same evening, September
9th, despite the rain which began falling steadily.
Those Midnight Rests were Fine — in. Sunny (?) France
8 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
The guns of three batteries, A, C and D, constituting the 1st Provi-
sional Battalion under Major Verbeck, together with their officers and gun
crews, were pulled right through to their new positions at Charny and
near Germonville. The rest of the regiment rode or walked through the
black night. Without a chance to rest their horses which had been received
only a short time previously, and were still soft and green, they straggled
into Issoncourt, a march of about 30 kilometers, just as day was breaking.
Guns and wagons were scattered about under trees, in the shadow of
houses, half hidden under hedges, picket lines were stretched, horses fed
and a snatch of sleep took up most of the day. The rain now settled down
into a steady downpour, covering the hard roads with a surface of mud,
and making the soft roads practically impassable. It was under these
conditions that the regiment moved out after dark to the Bois de Nixeville,
a semi-permanent camp of Adrian Barracks, hidden away under the trees.
It was heavy work, and the horses were beginning to give way under the
strain. Stable space was scarce and most of the animals had to be left on
picket lines. The mud was deep, and it was impossible to build fires, but
it was welcome news that we should lie over a day. A good sleep, the first
for four nights, and the last stage of the journey to Baleycourt was made
on the night of September 12th. Here the echelon was permanently estab-
lished at about two kilometers from Regimental Headquarters, which were
at Fromereville and about eight kilometers from the nearest enemy lines.
Almost over night the regiment had stripped for action. The care-free joy
of the training period over; old habits were dropped by the wayside like
cast off clothes.
While the regiment was thus painfully dragging itself and its impedi-
ments forward, the 1st Battalion was already getting into action. On
September 12th it took part in a demonstration in support of the St. Mihiel
attack. Shortly after the 3rd Battalion, consisting of E and F Batteries,
also moved into position near Bethlainville, without, however, doing any
firing, and a Battalion of the 308th French Heavy Artillery, under Major
Crova. was added to the regiment.
On its arrival at the front the Brigade was attached to the 33rd Divi-
sion, under command of Major General George Bell, Jr., who immediatelv
undertook a searching inspection of his new acquisition. Almost every-
thing was found unsatisfactory. The railroad journey and muddy hike
were not accepted as excuses. So that in company with the rest of the
Brigade, the 106th was subjected to severe criticism in regard to the con-
dition of its horses and materiel. Polishing wagons, cleaning harness,
grooming, feeding and grazing horses were the lot of those left behind in
the echelon for the next few weeks, until a re-inspection showed the neces-
sary improvement. Despite all that could be done, however, the horses
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
never measured up to the work required of them and continued to hamper
the mobility of the regiment throughout its service at the front. The best
horses were therefore concentrated in A, B and F Batteries, so as to insure
ready movement for at least one-half of the outfit.
Verdun at this time was a quiet sector, where all the precautions of
stationary warfare were rigidly enforced so that no suspicions of concen-
tration would leak out. Only single wagons or trucks and small detach-
ments of men might move in the day time. Guns were fired only at rare
intervals and for short periods. Occasional trench raids for the purpose
of identifying prisoners were
all that disturbed the peaceful
calm. A few enemy "G. P.
F.'s" fell around Fromereville
and the echelon. "A" Battery
received its daily punishment
at 5 :50 in the afternoon ; on
moonlight nights aeroplanes
whirred overhead and dropped"
a sprinkling of bombs; and
crossroads received an occa-
sional burst of shrapnel. These
did but little damage with the
exception of a chance shot
which made a direct hit on No.
4 piece of "E" Battery, bury-
ing six members of the gun
crew. Capt. Curtin led the
work of digging them out, and
it was found that nothing more
serious than a few broken
arms and legs resulted.
Since arriving at these po-
sitions, several times telephone wires had been mysteriously cut, and there
was some feeling of uneasiness lest some German spies were in our midst.
This was enhanced by an incident that occurred at "A" Battery on the
evening of September 16th. The guard had noticed two men in French
working uniforms, apparently loitering about. When he next saw them
they were inside one of the gun pits and actually looking over the gun. At
his challenge they scrambled out and disappeared among the ruins, in spite
of his pistol shots. A search was undertaken, but darkness came on rapidly
and all efforts at finding them were without avail.
Shortly after these incidents a French Marine Officer wras seen prowl-
wan, wha' d'you know about luck, huh?
10 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
ing around "13'' Battery position on September 17th. This Battery was
occupying the former emplacements of two French Batteries, the two
platoons being about 100 meters apart and the P. C. near the middle. It
later appeared that the French Officer had been ordered to occupy these
emplacements with his battery and was reconnoitering the ground, but at
the moment did not disclose his purpose. Lieut. Backus first accosted him,
but his French was insufficient Later he met Lieut. Burrows and they
spoke English. How many guns were in the position ? How many men ?
Quantity of ammunition? And means of approach? He soon knew all
there was to learn about the situation. Then he disappeared. The reports
clashed. Certainly here was a mystery. Headquarters were informed. A
search was instituted. At last the Frenchman was found — arranging the
necessary details for cooperation with the Brigade Staff.
On September 23rd began the movement forward in preparation for
the attack on September 26th. The regiment was concentrated on a knoll
northwest of Chattancourt ; the 3d Battalion in an old French position,
near the top; half way down, the 1st Battalion, in semi-prepared positions;
and at the foot of the hill, the 2nd Battalion in the open. The positions of
the upper two battalions were only reached by a field road, which on
account of the constant rain became almost impassable. These were stren-
uous days of waiting on congested roads, hauling guns out of holes, pushing
and straining in the dark. They were trying because of the harassing fire
which the Boche was now sprinkling generously on crossroads and exposed
places, and which during this time was not answered by any return. With-
out shelter for three days, with scarcity of food and the constant labor
of digging and carrying ammunition to the gun positions, the regiment
nevertheless succeeded in putting itself into a positon to accomplish its
mission of the 25th.
106tii REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
11
The above reproduction is a photograph (taken from an aeroplane) of the town of
Brabant near the center of the picture. While in position on the left bank ot the
Meuse, houses in this village were used as points on which to adjust our fire. After
the capture of the village, the regiment was in position on the extreme left of the
picture, between the river and the road where they are closest together. The irregu-
lar lines are German trenches, the white dots are shell craters.
CHAPTER III
''West of the Meuse"
In the attack of September 26th the 106th fired 2,550 rounds between
5:30 and 9:15 a. m., being about two kilometers from the front lines at
the beginning of the attack. The regiment's objectives were all in the back
area, such as second line trenches, ammunition dumps, crossroads and
concentration points. On account of the thick haze, it is impossible to
make any estimate of the results of this fire, other than that the attack at
this point was entirely successful, the infantry capturing the towns of
Forges, Bethincourt, Drillancourt and Gercourt. The regiment was now
out of range for points on the left bank of the Meuse, so that during the
next few days it was confined to small harassing fire to the right, mainly
on the Bois de Chaume and Bois de Consenvoye, and the taking over and
putting into condition two captured German batteries. The first consisting
of three pieces of 150mm. howitzers, under command of Lieut. Toomey,
was to the east of Gercourt; the other, consisting of four pieces of 150mm.
Howitzers, under Lieut. Backus, was south of the same town. A quantity
of ammunition was found at each position, and sufficient data to construct
a tentative range table.
On the night of October 2nd-3rd the mobile batteries, A, B and F,
forming the 1st provisional battalion, under Major Verbeck, moved for-
ward toward Bethincourt. The road led through Cumieres and Forges,
and for a long distance was under direct observation of the Germans on
the right of the Meuse. Their continual shelling so congested the traffic
that the Battalion was finally forced to send back its horses and park its
pieces along the edge of the road during the day. On the next night,
however, they were able to pull through without suffering any casualties,
arriving at their new positions one-half kilometer to the east of Bethin-
court just in time to participate at 5 :25 in an attack by the 4th Division on
our left. The points covered were enemy batteries in the Bois de Chatillon,
Bois de Sartelles and the ravines east of Liny-devant-Dun.
On October 6th, the 1st Battalion was given a mission to destroy the
Trench de Teton, a strong point in the enemy's lines which had obstinately
resisted capture, and from which their machine gun fire had proven
particularly effective. The adjustment was undertaken by Balloon Com-
pany No. 9, and completed despite the fact that enemy areoplanes forced
the balloons to earth four times and finally sent one down in flames just
as the observation was completed. The concentration put down on the
basis of the adjustment was reported by the infantry to be entirely effective,
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 13
enabling them to capture the point, and winning a compliment from
General Bullard. To days later, in conjunction with the 104th Field
Artillery, and the 2nd Battalion of the 105th Field Artillery, who were
placed in a "groupment" under the command of Colonel Emery T. Smith,
the regiment supported an attack by the 29th Division on the right bank of
the Meuse and the crossing of the river at Brabant by a detachment of the
33rd Division. This was the heaviest day's fire which the 106th delivered,
1,573 rounds being fired in the morning and 1,674 in the afternoon, and
the infantry was successful in attaining its objective. The French battalion
of the 308th Heavy Artillery was now detached and sent to another part
of the front. In this connection an amusing incident which occurred to
Major Crova may be recalled. On the afternoon of October 9th he re-
ceived orders to move two of his batteries forward to the Ravine de Raf-
fincourt and be ready to open fire on the following morning at 6 :05 a. m.
Word was sent to the batteries to have their horses brought forward,
while Major Crova set out on a reconnaissance. It was then about 4
o'clock in the afternoon. He found the place without difficulty, but as he
was picking out the exact location of his pieces, a sentry from a nearby
Engineer outfit considered him a suspicious character and put him under
arrest. Pleading and protests were of no avail. There had already been
too many Boche spies prowling around in French uniforms. For an hour
the major fumed and demanded to see an officer. But they were all out.
Meantime it grew dark, and the batteries were waiting. At last an officer
was found. Identification cards were produced ; the telephone was put
into service, and the major was set free with many apologies. Neverthe-
less, the French batteries negotiated the difficult pull over a hitherto
untravelled road, and opened fire promptly at 6 :05 on the following morn-
ing. It was a fine piece of work, which won the admiration of the regi-
ment. On October 13th, fire was called for on the church at Sivry, several
machine guns having been noted in the steeple. Lieut. Toomey's German
Battery joined in its destruction, using a quantity of their own gas for this
purpose. The work was thoroughly carried out as later inspection showed,
but the enemy clearly recognized his own creation, for just two hours later
he drenched his former battery position with gas and H. E. Lack of
observation, however, fortunately prevented his fire from attaining the
desired effect.
The regiment was now entirely out of range, and October 13th and
15th it moved forward and took position in the road leading east from
Gercourt. Those were bad days and nights, of rain, mud and hills.
Twelve, fourteen and even eighteen horses were necessary to pull the guns
up the crest above Bethincourt, and once over, the Boche had an excellent
view of the road. Fortunately, he appeared to have run into a bad lot of
ammunition, for he was guilty of an astonishing proportion of duds. The
14
THE WAR BOOK
emplacements were all in the open, being under direct observation of the
Germans from Haramount. The regimental P. C. was a former enemy
gun pit. so well (or badly) placed that Captain Schohl was able to carry
on an adjustment standing on the roof. But little more than a few rounds
of harassing fire had been undertaken, however, before the regiment was
relieved by the 15th French Colonial Division on the 20th of October, and
spent three quiet days in washing and cleaning up in the pleasant, safe, rear
areas of B< is la Villa and Chene Gossin.
i
CHAPTER IV
On October 27th, the Brigade was attached to the 79th Division, under
command of Major General Kuhn, which held the hilly sector of the Bois
de la Grande Montague on the right bank of the Meuse. The 106th on
October 28th and 29th took over the positions of the 324th Field Artillery,
situated along the Samogneux- Brabant road, which was parallel to the
Meuse. The fighting in this sector was open warfare, the positions being
uncomfortably exposed, and the enemy observation down the valleys
uncommonly good. Moreover, camouflage was sacrificed to the end of
keeping the Boche under pressure, so that engineer depots, supply dumps
and picket lines were interspersed between the battery positions. Hostile
shelling was therefore a constant factor, though fortunately not as destruc-
tive as might have been expected under these circumstances. Communi-
cations were good, so that despite limitations of observation into the
ravines and valleys held by the Boche, the regiment was able to do effective
work. Firing was heavy, during the period up to the signing of the
armistice, a total of 10,611 rounds being fired in thirteen days, each shell
weighing 95 pounds. It should be recorded also that "A" Battery, under
command of Captain Burkhardt, was given the honor of being selected for
counter battery work.
The first days of firing were demonstrations in support of an attack-
on Brieulles by the 4th Division, and occasional harassing and concentra-
tion fire when called for by our own infantry. On November 4th, began
the hammering of the 79th Division through Bois de la Grande Montagne,
which finally resulted in the capture of Reville, Etraye, and Crepion. This
fighting was of the most desperate character, fire being called for repeat-
edly on the same positions.
< Quotations from the Operations Reports of the 79th Division, Novem-
ber 5th-6th and November 6th-7th, illustrate the part played by the regi-
ment during this period:
"Active accompanying, harassing, counter-battery and barrage fires
put down by all firing units of the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade during the
period. Observation greatly improved. At 13.35 hrs. the 158th Brigade
called for fire on area from 24.3-86.0 to 24.4-86.5, where enemy were con-
centrated for advance. The 1.06th Field Artillery put down a strong fire
on this point. The 158th Brigade reported that this fire broke up the
enemy's plan for counter attack, causing great casualties and demoraliza-
tion. This confirmed by a prisoner taken by the 158th Brigade. At 13.45
16
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
17
fire was put down on the Haramont-Ecurey road, which was observed to
disperse and scatter enemy's troops and convoy at this point. At 14.15
enemy observed preparing gun position at 23.7-86.6. The 106th Field
Artillery repeated fire on this position and destroyed same by obtaining a
direct hit, which dispersed enemy workers. At 15.10, the 158th Brigade
reported "whiz-bangs" in trench 25.8-84.9. The 106th Field Artillery put
down fire on this point and French observer reported that fire was effective
and whiz-bangs were silenced.
"Barrages, intermittent and harassing fire and counter battery fire
carried on throughout the period in conjunction with action of our
Infantry. At 8.30 hrs. the 158th Infantry Brigade called for fire on 25.4-
84.35, where enemy machine guns were operating. Put down fire for
destruction on this area, using the 106th Field Artillery 155mm. Observer
reported fire effective and machine gun fire lessened. On further informa-
tion from the 158th Infantry Brigade, we put down destructive and
demoralizing fire on a point one hundred meters beyond this machine gun
nest to silence other guns reported by the Infantry. Enemy was reported
at 24.3-85.4 concentrating on and beyond the crest. 106th Field Artillery
put down fire 155s on this area."
Infantry advances were just beginning to reward their persistent
attacks and the regiment was again beginning to move forward to positions
in the neighborhood of Ormont Farm and fit itself into some very nice
German dugouts when hostilities ceased on November 11th. The horses
were turned over to one of the Brigades going forward in the Army of
Occupation, and the regiment, now immobile, was hauled back to Jardin-
Fontaine, near Verdun, where it went into billets with the rest of the
Brigade, until its departure for the Le Mans area early in December. Here
18
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
General Pershing at the Brigade Review.
it was billeted in three vil
lages near Laval. The time
was spent in disciplinary
drills, cleaning, refitting, get-
ting rid of cooties, and in-
spections. With the rest of
the Brigade it was reviewed
by General Pershing, who
took occasion to comment fa-
vorably on the work of the
regiment at the front.
Finally the three months
of waiting came to an end,
and on February 25th the
regiment entrained for Brest,
to undergo its final inspec-
tions and embark on March
3rd on the transport "Amer-
ica."
Field and Staff 106th Field Artillery.
Colonel Emery T. Smith
Lieut. -Col. John T. Delaney
Lieut. -Col. Guido F. Verbeck
Major Louis H. Eller
Major Robert W. Hinds
Major William H. Kennedy
Major Bradley Goodyear
Captain Walter D. Parlour
Captain Harry L. Gilchriese
Captain James H. Kenyon
Captain Edwin C. Gutelius
Captain Henry G. Montgomery
Captain John C. Grabau
Captain Charles D. Cromwell
1st Lieut. Floyd W. Hayes
1st Lieut. Vernon W. LeMaster
1st Lieut. Adelbert M. Sutton
1st Lieut. John P. Kelly
Chaplain Peter J. Kroll
1734 "P" St., Washington, D. C.
New York, N. Y.
Manlius, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
25 Gardiner St., Allston, Mass.
71 Woodland Ave., New Rochelle, N.Y.
894 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
190 Masten St., Buffalo, N. Y.
89 Minnesota Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
New York, N. Y.
63 North St., Sunbury, Pa.
New York, N. Y.
180 Goodell St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
108 Palmer St., Jamestown, N. Y.
126 West Poplar St., Sidney, Ohio.
100 Falconer St., No.Tonawanda, N.Y.
West Bloomfield, N. Y.
Royal ton, Minn.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 19
Headquarters, 52d Field Artillery Brigade
American Expeditionary Forces
1st January, 1919
General Orders
No. 1.
1. The following communication from the Commanding General, 27th
Division, is published for the information of this Brigade :
Headquarters, 27th Division, U. S. A., American E. F., France.
November 30, 1918.
Brigadier General Geo. A. Wingate,
52nd Field Artillery Brigade,
American E. F., France.
My dear Wingate,
It was very pleasant to read your letter of the 18th November, and to
receive copies of the communications given our Field Artillery Brigade by
the Commanding Generals of the Infantry Units which the Brigade served
so efficiently.
I should be glad to have you convey to the Officers and Men of your
Brigade my personal congratulations, and the pride which the entire Divi-
sion feel in the magnificent record made by them.
It was a source of regret to all of us that circumstances made it imprac-
ticable for the Brigade to serve with its own Division.
The commendations, copy of which you sent me, will be published in
Bulletin form for the information of the Division.
Sincerely yours,
(Signed) John F. O'Ryan,
Major General.
Headquarters, 52d Field Artillery Brigade,
American Expeditionary Forces
19th November, 1918.
General Orders
No. 21.
1. The work of this Brigade during the operation of the American
Expeditionary Forces in the vicinity of Verdun from 26th September,
1918. until the close of hostilities, 11th November, 1918, is worthy of the
highest praise.
2. Although it has not served with its own Division, the Brigade has
met all the calls of the 33rd and 79th Divisions with whom it cooperated
to their complete satisfaction, and with credit to itself. Its service was
rendered under extremely adverse conditions, due to lack of equipment,
animals and motor transport. That its fire under such circumstances was
20 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
always promptly, accurately and effectively delivered, was due to the
unflinching determination of each officer and man to do his part regardless
of hours, weather or danger, and to justify pride in his organization,
Brigade and Division.
3. The following figures of the ammunition consumption show the
volume of work required of the Brigade :
Number of rounds Weight of rounds
Organization Fired. Fired (Lbs.)
104th Field Artillery 66,782 1,001,730
105th Field Artillery 81,096 1,216,440
106th Field Artillery 33,036 3,072;348
Totals 180,914 5,290,518
The Ammunition Train delivered 1,420 truck loads of ammunition at
the Battery positions, most of it at night.
Battery A, 105th Field Artillery, held the record for the greatest num-
ber of rounds fired — 15,166.
Battery A, 106th Field Artillery lead the Heavy Artillery in firing,
with 7,429 rounds.
Gun No. 16948 of Battery B, 105th Field Artillery, fired the great-
est number of rounds in the light regiments — 4,049 ; while Gun No. 12748
of Battery D, 104th Field Artillery, led its regiment with 3,834 rounds.
Gun No. 3010, 106th Feld Artillery, led the Heavy Artillery by firing
2,100 rounds. The fact that not a single gun burst throughout this fire,
much of which was delivered at a rapid rate, shows the efficient manner in
which the materiel was maintained.
4. The Brigade Commander desires that his appreciation of the work
done and the effort that it entailed be understood by all.
George Albert Wingate,
Brigadier General.
Headquarters, 79th Division,
A. E. F., France.
November 19. 1918.
General Order
No. 21
The following letter from our esteemed Corps Commander is published
to the command, with the knowledge that the sentiments expressed therein
are reciprocated by each and every officer and man. This Division is to be
congratulated for having won the respect and praise of a soldier so experi-
enced and able as General Claudel :
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 21
At Headquarters
18th November, 1918.
The General Claudel, Commander of II Corps, Colonial Army.
To the Commanding General, 79th D. I., U. S.
My dear General :
At the moment of departing from the region of Verdun, I pray to
express to your troops, staffs and services the thanks of the Commander
of the II French Colonial Army Corps and of their French comrades for
the devoted and generous cooperation which they have given.
The conditions of the fighting, of communications and the weather
have often been very difficult, and I know that the 79th United States
Division has spared neither its efforts nor casualties in the region of the
Grand Montagne, Borne du Cornouiller and of the Cote de Romagne.
They have finally the merited reward of hurling the enemy back into
the plain and of seeing him definitely withdraw from there.
I will never forget, my dear General, the cordial relations which have
existed between us, and I pray you to agree to the expression of my
devoted sentiments.
H. Claudel,
Joseph E. Kuhn,
Major General, U. S. Army.
P. C. 52d Field Artillery Brigade,
American Expeditionary Forces
29th October, 1918.
Memorandum
No. 384
To All Commanding Officers :
1. The following communication is published for the information of
all officers and men of this Brigade :
Headquarters, 33d Division,
American Expeditionary Forces, France
28th October, 1918.
From : Major General George Bell, Jr., Commanding.
To : Brigadier General George Albert Wingate, 52d F. A. Brigade.
Subject: Service with 33d Division.
As the 52d Field Artillery Brigade is being relieved from duty with
the 33d Division, I wish to take this occasion to express to you my appre-
ciation for the invaluable service and assistance rendered by it.
Every request of ours you have met with a uniform, earnest and
efficient manner and your cooperation has contributed in a great measure
to our success in the recent operations.
22 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Please express to your officers and men my appreciation and sincere
regret that the exigencies of the field service necessitate your separation
from us at this time.
Geo. Bell, Jr.,
Major General, U. S. A.
By command of Brigadier General Wingate.
I. J. Lovell,
Major, Adjutant General.
Adjutant.
Headquarters, 52d Field Artillery Brigade,
American Expeditionary Forces
November 18, 1918.
General Orders
No. 20
1. The following letter from the Commanding General, 79th Division,
expressing his appreciation of the Artillery support of this Brigade, is
published for the information of its members :
Headquarters, 79th Division,
Am. E. F., France
18th November, 1918.
From : Commanding General.
To : Brigadier General George A. Wingate, 52d F. A. Brigade.
Subject: Commendation.
1. I desire to record my appreciation of the manner in which you and
your Brigade have functioned in support of the 79th Division. During
the recent operations North of Verdun, October 30th to November 11th
inclusive, your Brigade was called upon many times for Artillery support
and frequently the aid desired made it necessary for you to employ the full
resources and capacity of your Brigade. You, your Officers and Men have
always responded to the call of the Infantry with the utmost cheerfulness
and enthusiasm and our Artillery support has been all that could be desired.
I beg that you will extend to your officers and men the sincere thanks of
myself and the Division as a whole for their hearty and wholehearted co-
operation.
(Signed) Joseph E. Kuhn
Major General U. S. A.
By command of Brigadier General Wingate,
I. J. Lovell,
Major, Adjutant General,
Adjutant.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 23
( FOR OFFICIAL CIRCULATION ONLY) (G. O. 232).
G. H. Q.
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES.
General Orders France, December 19, 1918.
No. 232
1. It is with a sense of gratitude for its splendid accomplishment,
which will live through all history, that I record in General Orders, a
tribute to the 1st Army in the Meuse-Argonne Battle.
Tested and strengthened by the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient, for
more than six weeks you battered against the pivot of the enemy line on
the Western Front. It was a position of imposing natural strength stretch-
ing on both sides of the Meuse river from the bitterly contested hills of
Verdun to the almost impenetrable forests of the Argonne : a position,
moreover, fortified by four years of labor designed to render it im-
pregnable ; a position held with the fullest resources of the enemy. That
position you broke utterly, and thereby hastened the collapse of the enemy's
military power.
Soldiers of the Divisions engaged under the First, Third, and Fifth
Corps— the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 7th, 26th, 28th, 29th, 32d, 33d, 35th, 37th,
42d, 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 82d, 89th, 90th, and 91st— you will be long-
remembered for the stubborn persistence of your progress, — your storm-
ing of obstinately defended machine gun nests, your penetration yard by
yard, of woods and ravines, your heroic resistance in face of counter at-
tacks, supported by powerful artillery fire. For more than a month, from
the initial attack of September 26th, you fought your way slowly through
the Argonne, through the woods and over the hills west of the Meuse ; you
slowly enlarged your hold on the Cotes de Meuse to the east ; and then on
the first of November, your attack forced the enemy into flight. Pressing
his retreat, you cleared the entire left bank of the Meuse south of Sedan,
and then stormed the heights on the right bank and drove him into the
plain beyond.
Your achievement which is scarcely to be equalled in American History
must remain a source of proud satisfaction to the troops which participated
in the last campaign of the war. The American people will remember it as
the realization of the hitherto potential strength of the American con-
tribution toward the cause to which they had sworn allegiance. There can
be no greater reward for a soldier or for a soldier's memory.
This order will be read to all organizations at the first assembly forma-
tion after its receipt. John J. Pershing.
General, Commander in Chief,
OFFICIAL American Expeditionary Forces.
Robert C. Davis
Adjutant General.
24
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
TABLE I.
Battalion Bat'y Gns Objve From
I. (106) "A" 4 14 H
Major Verbeck "B" 4 13 H
To Rate of fire per gun Aram, Expd.
H+3h45 1 round every two minutes 450
H+2h20 45 rounds/Hour 440
II. (106)
Goodyear
'C" 2 5 H
H+lh 90 rounds/Hour
180
*D" 2
15
7
11
4
12
3
H+lh
H
H+lhlO
H
H+30
H
in readiness — no firing
H+lh 90 rounds/Hour 180
H+2hl0 1 round every two minutes 60
H+20 2 rounds per minute 80
H+2h20 40 rounds/Hour 147
H+20 2 rounds per minute 80
12 H+30 H+2h20 40 rounds/Hour
"E"
(Village of
Drillancourt)
4 10 H
H+lh50 40 rounds/Hour
14 H+2h H+3h45 40 rounds/Hour
III. (106)
Kennedy
"F" 2
8
H
H+lh
45 rounds/Hour
13
H+lh
H+2h20
40 rounds/Hour
12
H
H+2h20
40 rounds/Hour
14
H+2h30
H+3h45
40 rounds/Hour
1st 3 6 H H+lh 90 rounds/Hour
10 H+lhlO H+lh50 1 round per minute
(Nerve Center)
I. (308)
2nd 2 17
19
1 18
19
3rd 2 1
8
2 2
16
H
H+lh
H
H+30
-30
H
H-
H
H+30
H+lh 90 rounds/Hour
H+2h45 40 rounds/Hour
H+20 2 rounds per minute
H+2h45 40 rounds/Hour
H+20 2 rounds per minute
H+2hl0 40 rounds/Hour
H+20 2 rounds per minute
In readiness — no firing.
147
300
300
90
110
185
100
270
120
130
140
40
90
133
80
After a careful study of mission, ranges, and nature of the objectives, Battery
Commanders will determine projectile and fuse to be used.
(In the preparation for an attack and during an attack the mission of the heavy
artillery is to concentrate on vital points within the enemy lines which are marked
and numbered on the map and referred to by number. Such fire is called a con-
centration as distinguished from the barrage of the light artillery. The "H" hour is
the moment when the infantry commences the attack and is only announced a short
time in advance.
The above table is a copy of the concentration ordered for this regiment in the
great advance of the First American Army on September 26, 1918. In this attack a
battalion of the 308th French Artillery, mentioned in the order, was attached to the
regiment.)
Headquarters Company
HEADQUARTERS COMPANY
"Headquarters Company ; Present or accounted for," was the report
at its first official formation at Camp de Souge, France, during the latter
part of July, 1918. From July 22nd to September 5th, the Company re-
ceived extensive training in the various specialties, such as telephone and
radio, orientation, etc. Soon after the course of training had terminated
in a massive Brigade Barrage at the range to test our knowledge by
practical demonstration, the eventful day of September 6th saw the Com-
pany entrain for the front.
DIARY EXTRACTS
September 8th — Detrained at Lcngeville, near Bar-le-Duc at 7:00 a. m.
Established a camp on a nearby hill situated about 20 miles from the front
line. Received orders to leave for Issoncourt at 7:00 p. m. Hiked all
night arriving at 6 :00 a. m. the following morning — went to sleep at 8 :00
a. m.
September 9th — Left Issoncourt 6:45 p. m. Hiked all night in the
face of a hard rain — very disagreeable. Arrived at Nixeville at 5 :45 a. m.
the following morning. Went to sleep at 10:00 a. m. Ten minutes later
routed out — orders having been received to collect the radio and telephone
details and proceed immediately to Fromereville. Everything in readiness
by the afternoon and left at 8 :00 p. m. and arrived at Fromereville at
11:30 p. m.
28 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
September 11th — Telephone and radio system established and in order.
Both stations established — also copied our first communique at the front
from Eiffel Tower Paris and the meteorological data and standard time
from Army Corps station at Souilly.
September 19th — Got our first baptism of fire from Jerry long range
rifles. Town shelled but no casualties. Up to September 23rd Regimental
detail functioned well with the battalion details. On this date orders were
received to proceed to the vicinity of Dead Man's Hill near Chattancourt.
Detail left Fromereville at 10 :30 p. m. arriving at the selected spot at 3 :00
a. m. the following morning. Colonel and Staff occupied the same dugout
as the details which was of the corridor type with two entrances about 30
feet deep. Telephone and radio communication were immediately estab-
lished.
September 25th — Shelled at 5 :00 a. m. Dugout very damp and full of
rats. French graves overhead — no damage incurred save for a few tele-
phone wires severed and antenna wire cut by shrapnel.
September 26th — Opening of the great offensive. Barrage opened up
at midnight. Beaucoup d'artillerie. Sky full of aeroplanes — barrage con-
cluded at 6 :00 a. m. during which time the detail was sweating blood — not
through fright but work. The communique the following morning re-
ported that 5,000 prisoners were taken and the towns of Malancourt, Beth-
incourt, Montfaucon, Cuisy, Montillois, Septsarges, Dannevoux, Gercourt,
Drillancourt, and Bois de Forges. We advanced on a 20-mile front and
penetrated to a depth of seven miles.
September 28th — Gassed at 12:35 a. m. No casualties. Eating well,
steak, mashed potatoes, bread and butter and coffee au lait for supper.
October 4th — Artillery observers came over today and told us that they
had a Jerry Battery spotted and wanted us to adjust on it this week when
he flies over the lines.
October 5th — 'Plane came over and we sent our call and adjusted "C"
Battery on the target. Radio detail functioned well. Put Jerry Battery
out.
October 17th — Orders received to proceed to Gercourt. Detail packed
up, Colonel and Telephone detail went ahead in the morning — radio detail
left at 3:00 p. m. arriving at Gercourt at 9:00 p. m. after a hard, muddy
hike. Got chow at 11 :00 p. m.
October 20th — Detail relieved by French Unit.
October 21st — Detail left Gercourt at 3 :00 p.m., hiked all night up to
3 :00 a. m. arriving at Bois la Ville very tired. All details assembled here.
October 22d — Left at echelon at Bois la Ville at 7:00 p. m. Arrived
at Camp de Cinq Freres at 2 :00 a. m. after a hard fast march.
October 23d — Drew all shortages and signed pay roll.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 29
October 28th — Left Camp deCinq Freres at 4:00 p. m. arriving at
Bois la Ville at 10 :30 p. m.
October 29th — Orders received to proceed to front again. Had six
days' rest. Detail left Bois la Ville at 10:20 a. m. Arriving in position
near Samogneux at 4 :00 p. m. Shelled and gassed on road to position — -
no casualties.
October 30th— Jerry let us try some of his sneezing gas during the
night — no casualties.
October 31st — Heavily gassed and shelled all day. Telephone men had
their troubles with cut wires. Several pieces of H. E. shell fell down
radio entrance. Many casualties among nearby doughboys and engineers.
Over a dozen horses killed on road nearby.
November 1st — Part of the Radio detail left for Vacherauville and
drew transmitter set, amplifier and storage batteries. A heavy drag for
seven miles.
November 2nd — Heavily shelled again. Not very comfortable eating
out in the open along roadside with H. E. shell breaking all around us.
Radio detail lost part of antenna about 1 :00 a. m. while copying a com-
munique from Paris. When the 103 F. A. pulled out whizz-bangs in valley
took part of the antenna with them in the darkness. Found the missing
part about 1 kilo away the next morning. Station in order again by
evening.
November 3rd — The usual shelling. Chum of mine in "A" Battery had
his head removed by shell just 100 yards from station.
November 6th — Gassed three times during the night. Rather hard
operating with Tissots. Copy several bits of interesting news from Eng-
land. Communique very encouraging. MSO sent out French com-
munique in German so Jerry could read it readily.
November 1 1th— INTERNATIONAL DAY. End of the World War.
Busy day for telephone and radio details. Colonel very anxious about
the news because it meant whether we should move forward or not. Beau-
coup celebrating during the night. Had a dugout banquet of flap-jacks.
Eiffel Tower sent the following famous message. "Grand Quartier Gen-
eral Des Alliees a Grand Quartier General Allemange. Nous avons recu
votre radio de 15 heures. Ordres sont donnes pour que les attaques
Americaines signalies sur le front Stenay-Beaumont cessent immediate-
ment. Signe Grand Quartier General des Alliees.
November 14th — Special A. E. F. muster. "Regimental detail present
or accounted for," said the Sergeant Major — No casualties.
November 20th — Orders received to leave the front and proceed to
Jardin Fontaine near Verdun. Left our little home at 9:45 a. m. arriving
so
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
at French Barracks at 11 :30 a. m. Telephone and radio details got busy
immediately establishing communication.
November 28th — Thanksgiving Day. A real thanksgiving. All details
celebrated.
CONCLUSION
No detail could have enjoyed more harmony or worked together so well
as did the regimental detail. There were times while at the front when
one part of the detail had to help the other, but everyone had to work and
whether it was laying lines, telephones or radio, operating, messenger work,
kitchen police or gas guard, it made no difference because after all we were
just a cog in a great wheel that crushed the Hun.
1ST BATTALION DETAIL
The days at Germonville were quiet ones. Battery "A" at Charny, re-
ceived its evening application
of H. E. from a spiteful Hun;
Battery "C" almost caught a
spy, at the battalion P. C, a
gas alarm caused some excite-
ment one night and two men
swore they were gassed. Ev-
eryone agreed that fighting the
war in such palatial quarters
was entirely agreeable.
Then came the change.
Shortage of horses making it
impossible to move the entire
regiment at once. Batteries
"A," "B" and "F" were picked
to form the advanced battal-
ion. About September 20th,
the Instrument and Telephone
men of the Battalion sallied
forth towards the enemy lines,
resplendent with queer look-
ing instruments, maps and
plane tables. Swinging through
Chattancourt, the forbidding
heights of Mort Homme came
into view. And here for two
days the business of reconnoit-
ering, surveying and travers-
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 31
ing was carried on. Then one night up crept the batteries. By dawn they
were working furiously beneath nets of camouflage — widening emplace-
ments and hauling ammunition. Every one knew something was going to
happen. For days the slopes of Mort Homme were seething with batteries
at work. When a Hun plane came over everything ceased. The hill looked
as dead as ever.
Then, on the night of the 25th the order came. Thirty feet under
ground in the Regimental P. C, Colonel Smith, gave the order of attack.
Our part did not come in until 5 :30 in the morning of the 26th. Every-
one stood "to" and listened to the wonderful preparation. All night long
the heavies behind us sounded out their symphony of fate. Several times
the stentorian shriek of gas alarms and everyone in their masks ; at 3 :00
a. m., a shell dropped through the Battalion Headquarters store-room,
blowing a sack of potatoes and a case of salmon into a most delicious salad-,
at 4.15 a.m. the wireless aerials were carried away by another jerry shell,
but dawn found the batteries at their posts, shoving 155 ammunition into
the hot breeches as fast as the schedule allowed. The battalion linesmen
showed their stuff that night as they did on the many nights to follow.
German shells held no terrors for them and by their tireless efforts only
was communcation maintained to the forward observing station on the
front slope of Dead Man's Hill.
The enemy having been driven beyond our range, on the night of
( )otober 1st — 2d the battalion moved forward. This was the position in
Ravin de Raffincourt. Living in abandoned holes in the ground — ground
that had been the bone of contention for two years, a swamp in No Man's
Land — the battalion did some of its most effective shooting. Three ob-
serving stations were kept busy daily, in addition to two balloons which
had attached themselves to us. On the 9th of October while successfully
completing an adjustment on a particularly nasty enemy machine gun
nest, one of our balloons was shot down. The Observer escaped unhurt
in his parachute and called up battalion headquarters an hour later to
apologize for not finishing his work. He visited Captain Schohl the next
afternoon who had a hard time convincing him that his work had been the
means of a commendation from the Corps Commander to the battalion.
Trench de Teton no longer existed as an enemy stronghold, thanks to
the 155's.
The next position was northwest of Gercourt, and it was here the
battalion detail showed its work. A long and dangerous line had to be
run to the O. P., but exhausted wet and hungry as they were, the men
never complained. Manning the O. P. was another problem as it was
constantly exposed to bombardment by both H. E. and gas shells, but
the long shifts were cheerfully accepted, and although we only used the
32 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
line once, the work was beautifully done. Battalion Headquarters was an
abandoned German Gun Emplacement, and the three days the battalion
remained there were devoted to turning this crude abode into a most com-
fortable studio. In fact the light and heating facilities were so good that
Regimental Headquarters moved in with us on the second day of occupa-
tion.
But our comfort was short lived. On the 21st we moved out with the
regiment and back over the many miles of devastation wrought during the
Hun occupation, to a secure woods in the back area. Here the battalion
enjoyed a week's rest and the luxuries of baths and clean clothes. The
extermination of the well-known "Cootie," became the popular pastime.
Thus November was ushered in and with it our new assignment. The
battalion assumed its normal proportions, and one night composed of
batteries "A" and "B" moved out under a brilliant moonlight to its new
sector. This time we crossed the Meuse, north of Verdun and pushing
on along a steep bank passed unscathed through a harassing fire into what
was destined to be our hottest position — near Brabant. The Artillery
Brigade was now in support of the 79th Division and moving rapidly on
the heels of the retreating Germans. The work for all concerned was of
necessity hot. Fortune smiled favorably, however, on the 1st Battalion
for the dug-outs — of German origin — were well protected. And well they
might be, for the next three days were hectic ones. Jerry lambasted us
with his 77's then shoved over some 105 Howitzers, much to the physical
discomfort of the personnel.
Battery "A" was made the counter battery of the regiment much to
the discomfort of several jerry batteries thereafter. Two of these spit-
fires were known, so every time one of them started something, Captain
Burkhardt was called up. In a few minutes jerry stopped. One after-
noon a hostile battery was observed in action from the Battalion O. P.
In fifteen minutes the battery, which had been firing furiously, had been
silenced. A dangerous trench full of machine guns was later put out of
business, and one morning a troop concentration in Trench de la Saucette
was heavily saturated with H. E. The entire regiment took part in this
and a hostile counter attack was broken. Successes followed rapidly here
until, on the 9th of November, the battalion again moved forward in wake
of the fast fighting Infantry, to a position near Ormont Farm — the scene
of yesterday's most bloody conflict. Here amid the unburied dead an
O. P. was quickly organized, and at 6:00 a. m. on the 10th the batteries
were at work. That afternoon a line was run to the 158th Infantry
Brigade in time to assist it in the last fight of this organization in the war.
The excellent support rendered was mentioned by General Nicholson later
in his commendation of the battalion.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
SECOND BATTALION DETAIL
33
On the journey from De
Souge to Longeville, Pvt. Cur-
rinder showed great foresight
by losing his pack out of the
side door of our French "Pull-
man," keeping only his mess
equipment.
Corp. Garvey was the first
man in our Battalion to go to
the Front, leaving at Longe-
ville with Lieut. Merwin's de-
tail which went at once to our
first position. Corp. Bosworth
with Corp. Whalen and Pvt.
Kerr went from Issoncourt as
a special observation detail to
Fort de Marre where they
were quartered with the
French. Later on they came
to our own O. P.
On the long hike, from
Longeville to Issoncourt, that
very dark rainy night, Les Fra-
zier, during the halt for sup-
per, took a much needed rest on a convenient and soft pile of crushed stone.
When he woke up the entire company had disappeared.
On the night of September 16th when we were comfortably housed in
the barracks at Baleicourt a young Monte Carlo was in blast. It was un-
fortunately interrupted by the arrival of some Jerry planes, said planes
spilling several bombs in the vicinity. It was rumored that several soldiers
in their haste to find appropriate shelter left considerable spoils on the floor.
September 18th to 24th at Germonville. Here we were introduced to
Jerry's H. E. shells and his mathematical methods in sending them over.
September 24th to October 15th at Chattancourt. The telephone men
had their special troubles in keeping up communications with the O. P.
which was situated on a hill several kilos away. Nearly every day either
Jerry or the weather put the lines out of commission, and at all hours of
the night or day the phone men would have to start out to follow the wire
on its course over shell holes and through barbed wire, down trenches
and up over hills.
34 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
October 15th a liason detail of five men with Lt. Snell went up to
work with the 33d Division Infantry and remained with them until Octo-
ber 21st.
On the morning in the next position at Gercourt the detail hiked during
the day. This was a pleasant change from feeling one's way along the
very uneven shell-torn roads during the usually pitch dark nights. When
we reached Gercourt we found most of the dugouts already occupied by
the French. The one available dugout was used as a P. C. and telephone
central, and we had the experience of building a shelter for our instru-
ments and materiel and sleeping quarters for most of the men. Elephant
iron and lumber had to be dragged from various points when Jerry usually
chose to send over his most varied collection of shells. We are more or
less of the opinion that the real reason for the shelling of the heavy
camouflaged Dannevoux Road at tliis time was directly due to the terrible
clamor made by heavy elephant iron being spasmodically jerked along
under the command of Sergeant Gerts, Jerry getting the impression that
a regiment of heavy artillery was going through.
In procuring this lumber we had our first mix with gas. The fatigue
squad of the detail in charge of Sergt. Gerts and assisted by Sergt. Burrell
in an attempt to get away from the ex-German supply camp above Dan-
nevoux with a wagon load of lumber, flapjack stoves, tar paper and tools
piled on Cady's wheelbarrow were held up by a heavy shelling of the
camp. What we first took for stringent powder smell proved to be sneez-
ing gas. We all tied for first place in making our masks. Owing to the
continued shelling, owing to the violent sneezing of Sergt. Burrell and
Private Goodwin's inability to balance his side of the load while in mask,
the expedition was temporarily postponed. However, we made it that
afternoon. Completed and with its mud-baked fireplace it offered a
cheery atmosphere for its occupants. Early that night the guard shouted
gas and orders came to vacate the dugout, because the gas was mustard
and the woods were supposed to be pretty thoroughly soaked in it.
Members of the detail passed the remainder of the night on an
abandoned Jerry gun and in various odd corners.
A pleasant feature of Gercourt was the absence of rats.
Here the telephone men again had their difficulty with the O. P. line,
Corporal Cady and Slim Bostwick, Currinder, Van Amberg of the 3d
Battalion, Corp. Whalen and Sam Kerr, both temporarily assigned to the
2d Battalion, in laying the wire and repairing it, had to work under fre-
quent heavy shelling. Bostwick seemed to be the special target for Jerry,
and he was the recipient of a piece of shrapnel, the only wound or
scratch bestowed upon the 2d Battalion.
When "C" and "D" Batteries moved their guns back to the rest areas.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 35
our men were sent with them. "C" Battery's guns were pulled out of the
mud and started on their way the first night, but "D" Battery's guns stuck
fast. Seven husky men were left to help drag them along. Among them
were Dwarf Goodwin, Dwighty Kay and Dom Moroney.
We arrived at Death Valley November 9th. At this position the
Major gave concrete expression of what had always been the guiding spirit
of the 2d Battalion detail. "Go get it," said the Major, and we have
done the noblest to keep our motto bright.
Also at Cote de Roches the fatigue detail became the sand bag fillers,
and had time permitted, and had we not moved forward, we would have
made an impregnable P. C. of sand bags, second only to Gibraltar in
strength. Slim Bostwick at this time broke all records by making the
largest pancake baked in Death Valley, measuring 23H inches across.
JARDIN FONTAINE .
Famous as the birth place of that great battle cry "Steady Daly,
Steady," and of Kay's plea, "Has anybody seen my little overseas cap?"
It was here also that we carried on a custom inagurated at Cote de
Roches of daily hot cakes, only here we made them nightly.
The 2d Battalion may be proud that it spent Xmas, 1918, in a stable,
giving that anniversary a fine signifiance.
THIRD BATTALION DETAIL
The 3d Battalion detail conducted their sojourn at the front in
rather the form of a house party, which lasted a little over eight weeks.
Some of the members invited were unable to finish their session owing to
sickness, etc., but we had many others who were only too anxious to take
their places. The detail, according to the inscription on Corp. Irving's
pipe, took up their first position at Bethlainville on September 13, 1918.
The telephone detail from this place laid a line to the O. P. on Hill No.
304, which was the longest metallic circuit laid during the war. Anyone
doubting this statement need only ask the linesmen who carried the last
reel of wire.
This O. P. was manned by four men. It was also at this place that
Corp. Carl Waldroff suffered severe physical strain owing to lack of nour-
ishment. According to the statement Carl sent home, he sure suffered,
but Corp. Sharman, who was at the same place, gained four pounds. Fig-
ure it out, boys. From Bethlainville we moved to Chattancourt and got
our first basement quarters, occupying two large dugouts. It was here
that we first started our light housekeeping and which later developed
into a first-class cafeteria. Owing to the fact that Corp. Grelinger was
36
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
always considered a willing
worker and always out at the
first blast of the renowned
whistle of the premier ser-
geant, he was recalled to assist
the work at the echelon.
The first night at Chattan-
court the telephone detail was
seized with a fit of wanderlust
and wandered five kilos out of
their route in laying a line to
the O. P. in the middle of the
night with gas masks on. Their
alibi was that they were with-
out maps and had an orderly
for a guide who was trained
to follow and not to lead. We
will all remember the trip from
Chattancourt to Gercourt. It
was on that road that we had
our most comfortable night's
rest during our travels at the
front. A bed of soft mud and
rain and a hard pack for a pil-
low, and our esteemed officer,
Lieut. Eller, for company. We
passed four hours there until
morning came, but breakfast
was A. W. O. L. Gercourt put us in mind of our radio operator, C. F.
Sellstrom, who, being detailed to salvage some wire for the antenna
poles, started off in quest of same. But Sell., being the original "Kid
Quest," came back one hour later with three loaves of bread, a can of hash,
and a box of German machine gun bullets. Sell must have been thinking
of a few days back, when the larder was not so plentifully supplied.
It was also at Gercourt that we had the misfortune to lose our radio
officer, Lieut. Eller. Oh, no, he did not get killed or die. Not that man !
He got a better job, that's all. We had many and various occupations, but
I guess Harry Van Amberg takes the fur cuff buttons. He must have
been a great fisherman in the past, because while pulling in a telephone
line he either forgot that it was hooked to "E" Battery switchboard, or else
holds a resentment against them. At least the switchboards suddenly took
French leave from the pup tents and started madly across the fields. The
three operators were thunderstruck and immediately hurried after their
pet. They came upon Harry while he was examining his catch. The only
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
37
thing that averted a battle was the fact that the major told Harry to break
communication quick. It was a good thing he did not start fishing for
duds.
Our friend Sergt. Major Lee Patton pulled a fast one on Corp. Bos-
worth, and Bossy has not recovered from it yet. Pat could not find his tin
kelly and borrowed Jim's to go to the O. P., and on the way back Pat was
hit on the head with a splinter and knocked down. "Poor hat," said Pat,
and continued his journey, but when Bosworth saw his kelly he enumer-
ated certain facts to Pat that he will never forget.
From Gercourt we moved to Bois la Ville, near Baleycourt, for a five
days' rest. We were pretty comfortable there until Corp. Harry Gregory
bathed and changed his underwear. Such action on Greg's part was fatal,
for the underwear was infested with little creatures that afterward proved
to be very close companions of Greg's. They were congenial companions,
too, and they "took" from the first. Yes, we all got them later. We moved
from there to Cote des Roches, south of Brabant, to take up our work
against the Hun. The first day there Corp. Gregory sent "Brownie" (who
is the smallest man in the company) to salvage some wire. Brownie, like
an obedient soldier, true to his corp's order, wanders all over the country
and unused dugouts, tramping over valuable souvenirs in the performance
of his duty. Suddenly he hears a gas alarm in the distance. He immedi-
ately clapped on his gas mask and crouched in a convenient dugout. Corp.
Gregory, after waiting several hours for the wire, decides to look for him.
While walking by some
old dugouts he is startled
by an apparition in a gas
mask, with the sweat drip-
ping from him standing
in the doorway. It was
"Brownie," and the gas
alarm was an auto on the
nearby road. Shortly aft-
er this happening we re-
ceived the first news of
the signing of the armis-
tice by radio, and then we
moved to another position,
but did not fire from there.
On November 20th we left
the front for Jardin Fon-
taine, near Verdun, and
from there toward home. Salvage Duffy on the job
38 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
BAND SECTION.
The band had been in pup tents for one night after the company
had moved up from Baleycourt, on the top of a hill, when orders came to
be ready to move with full packs at 5 :00 a. m. the next morning.
Tents came down and packs were rolled up in a half an hour. There
was much speculation as to where we were going. Some said to Paris to
enter the school suggested by Gen. Pershing to train the A. E. F. bands.
By 5 :30 we were ready at the adjutant's office awaiting transportation. At
6:00 p. m. we piled into quad trucks and reached Thierville by 1 :15 p. m.
It was pitch dark, and which made it difficult for the men to locate their
packs. At the intersection of the two roads an M. P. cautioned us not to
speak above a whisper and, above all, not to strike any lights.
In the meantime Band Leader Max Rauchstadt had reported to the
major of the 108th Sanitary Train, who ordered him to pick out nine
musicians and go to the hospital at La Glorieux. We lined up along the
road, every man being impressed that something important was coming
off before many hours elapsed. Whether it was nervousness or being in
a high state of excitement which caused our leader to turn pale and
speak in a husky tone of voice cannot be said definitely, but as he called
out the names of the men who were to go with him his voice betrayed his
feelings.
W'etherby, Zeitler, Welker, Burke, Iwanski, Lewenicht, Gillon,-Lawton
and Marshall were the men to fall out. Not one knew why or for what, but
as we fell out in obedience to orders and started away from the rest, it
dawned on us that we were going to the hospital away from the front,
away from those who had been our comrades for so long. Sergt. Wether-
by turned to Mr. Rauchstadt and asked to be excused from going to the
hospital, said he felt his place should be with the others. Welker, too,
went back, and Deitz took his place. Burke inquired as to where he was
going, and on being told that it was to the hospital asked permission to
go along with the others, but was refused. After protest on his part.
in which he expressed his disappointment not to be allowed his one big
chance to go to the front, permission was granted. A remark was passed
which may be worth while quoting to this effect: "Gee, Tom, I only wish
I were a little stronger and I'd go, too !"
An ambulance took the men picked out back to Glorieux, while the
others were given Red Cross brassards and shown to a room in a shell-
torn building. There they opened their packs and, incidentally, a can of
corned willy and a few boxes of hard tack. All were very tired, and it was
not very long before all were asleep. At 11 :00 p. m. everyone started up,
for a good reason. The big naval gun had just gone off starting the big
barrage. A short time later we were taken up in an ambulance to the ad-
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
39
vance first aid station. We remained there until 5 :00 o'clock the following
morning. We were given stretchers and a bag of rations, and then we went
out along Dead Man's Hill, relieving the regimental stretcher bearers of
the 131st Infantry. Welker, Benson, Hodge and Seifert carried back the
first patient. He was riddled with machine gun bullets. Burke, Niery and
Zimmarino, on their way back with a patient, Had to lie down on the ground
to avoid splinters of several shells that were coming over at that time. We
made several trips to bring back wounded men, and about 9 :00 p. m. Ger-
man prisoners came in, and we then used them to carry the wounded.
On September 28th we were on relay post from Cumieres to Forges
Woods. On October 8th we followed the third attacking wave of infantry
over the top. We crossed the Meuse under a heavy barrage, and on that
day Johnson and Perry were gassed, and Curtis was shell shocked. We
then took up a relief post at Consenvoye, two days after the Germans had
left there. On October 19th we were relieved and brought back to
Thierville in an ambulance. The major at Thierville lined us up and
commended us for the excellent work which we had performed as
stretcher bearers. At Glorieux we rejoined the rest of the men who had
been left there when we went to the front. We then rejoined the com-
pany at the echelon at Bois la Ville.
HEADQUARTERS COMPANY 106th FIELD ARTILLERY
~ AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
February 5th, 1919
List of enlisted men of this company on the rolls of this organization
as of this date :
Name
Keeler, P. J.
Ackerman, Gilbert E.
De Wolf, Ellis
Herbert, Philip S.
Walker, Douglas P.
Snell, Lewis E.
Tillman, Frank S.
Corry, Frank C.
Jones, Geo. H.
Hadden, Crowell
Allen, Frank L.
Baker, Fred. J. W.
Barr, Bryce
Barrett, Robert J.
Bedford, McBride
Bell, Silas
Bennett, Carl M.
Benson, Leonard E.
Bentley, Harry
Berryman, Herbert C.
Besser, Fred P.
Beyschlag, Charles E.
Rank Home Address
Captain 58 Urban St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Captain 742 Union St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Captain New York, N. Y.
1st Lieut. 434 West 22nd St., New York City.
1st Lieut. 122 Normal Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
1st Lieut. 23 Kingsbury Ave., St. Johnsville, N. Y.
1st Lieut. 1104 E. Dagger St., Ft. Worth, Texas.
1st Lieut. 26 Loomis St., Montpelier, Vt.
2nd Lieut. 1790 Division St., Portland, Ore.
2nd Lieut. 11 Montgomerv PI., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Pvt 57 Miller St., Oneonta, N. Y.
Pvt 205 Lemon St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 193 Liberty St., Newburgh, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 343 W. 18th St., New York City.
Pvt Crvstal Run, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 290 3rd Ave., Detroit, Mich.
Sergt 728 W. 181st St., New York City.
Mus 2cl Colgrove, Pa.
Pvt lcl R.F.D. No. 2, New Haven, Mich.
Pvt Snyder, N. Y.
Regt Sgt Mj 12 Washington St., Hornell, N. Y.
Pvt 927 Second Ave., Detroit, Mich.
40
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Name Rank
Bittner, Paul J. Pvt
Rlackman, Joseph F. Cpl
Blackman, Nelson A. Pvt lcl
Elakeslee. Carroll L. Pvt
Blood, Fred W. Pvt lcl
Board, William H. Pvt
Bock, Leon N. Pvt
Bostwick, Grover Cpl
Bosworth, James H. Cpl
Bouton, Donald R. Pvt
Bower, John E. Pvt
Boyer, Lewis G. Pvt lcl
Braciszewski, Frank F. Pvt
Bragg, Francis E. Pvt
Bredback, Urno V. Pvt
Brower, Calvin W. Pvt
Brooks, Arthur Pvt
Brown, Walter F. Pvt
Bressingham, Henry L. Pvt
Buritsky, Joseph S. Pvt
Buffum, Edwin C. Cpl
Burdick, Luther P. Pvt
Burkard, Lawrence J. End Sgt
Burke, Thomas F. Ast Bnd Ldr
Burrell, Harvey R. Sgt
Cady, Milliard L. C^l
Campbell, Rocco Mus lcl
Carlson, Frank B. Cpl
Carr, Edd. Pvt
Carr, Ray W. Pvt
Chase, Claude M. Cpl
Chilton, Ralph J. Sgt
Christie, George W. Pvt
Christman, Felix W. Busier
Churchill, Edwin V. Wagoner
Clark, Ralph H. Cook
Clark, Roy W. Pvt lcl
Clute, Manville J. Bnd Cpl
Collins, William J. Cook
Coyne, Benjamin Pvt
Culhane, Daniel J. Cpl
Cummings, George W. Cpl
Currinder, Calvin Pvt lcl
Curtiss, Glenn V. Mus 3cl
Cutler, Raymond T. Sgt
Daly, Tames P. Cpl
Dana, "Frank W. Pvt lcl
Decker, Harry E. Cpl
Denker, William J. Pvt
Dietz, Raymond E. Bnd Cpl
Downey, Rollin C. Cpl
Duffy, James B. Pvt lcl
East, George A. Cpl
Eckler, Milton M. Cpl
Feine, Otto A. Pvt
Fornes, Robert V. Cpl
Frasier, Leslie Pvt
Frick. Frederick A. Bugler
Fuller, Chester D. Pvt lcl
Garvey, Thomas V. Cpl
Gerlach, Otto F. Cpl
Geise, Edward W. Mech
Home Address
Ontonagon, Mich.
404 W. 22nd St., New York City.
301 Cass Ave., Detroit, Mich.
18 Richmond PI., Jamestown, N. Y.
507 Mechanic St., Detroit, Mich.
1821 Bailey Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
R.F.D. No. 1, New Buffalo, Mich.
Copperstown Junction, N. Y.
89 Hertel Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
210 Liberty St., Rome, N. Y.
Colon, Mich.
37 Lincoln St., Middletown, N. Y.
200 W. Cellar St., Besmer, Mich.
221 4th St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Arnheim, Mich.
28 Henry St., Jersey City, N. J.
Clinton, N. Y.
1417 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
2977 Webster Ave., Bronx, N. Y.
31 Fargo Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
16 Gramercy Ave., New York City.
Davenport Center, N. Y.
88 Northland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
38 W. 129th St., New York City.
362 E. Utica St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Marvland, N. Y.
465 Niagara St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Box 58 R.F.D., Ossining, N. Y.
Walton, N. Y.
777 Rutger St., Utica, N. Y.
709 Eagle St., Utica, N. Y.
72 Morris St., Ogdensburg, N. Y.
198 S. Lundy St., Salem, O.
50 Buchanan PI., New York City.
60 Clements St., Liberty, N. Y.
159 Washington St., Binghamton, N. Y.
20 Andrews Ave., Binghamton, N. Y.
Stockton, N. Y.
325 Roeher Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
352 Fairmount Ave., Newark, N. J.
71 Herkimer St., Buffalo, N. Y.
567 Potomac Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
541 Bird Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Corfu, N. Y.
Waldwick, N. J.
109 E. 38th St., New York City.
16^ Broad St., Oneonta, N. Y.
312 North St., Middletown, N. Y.
382 Washington St., Newburgh, N. Y.
Clarence, N. Y.
236 W. 120th St., New York, N. Y.
Box 21, Massena, N. Y.
210 W. Tupper St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cooperstown, N. Y.
842 Richmond Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
105 Glenwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
169 S. Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
42 Eagle St., Albany, N. Y.
1500 Park St., Syracuse. N. Y.
343 E. 81st St., New York City.
69 Croton Ave, Ossining, N. Y.
608 E. Eagle St., Buffalo, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
41
Name
Gillen, Silas F.
Godfrey, Frederick H.
Goodwin, Henry N.
Gregory, Harold C.
Grehlinger, Myron J.
Hall, Robert T.
Halpin, James L.
Hamilton, Frank E.
Hart, Joseph F.
Heineman, Benjamin
Helfert, Francis M.
Hewitt, Lome R.
Heyde, Edward W.
Hodge, Emmett J.
Hollihan, Frank L.
Hoyczyk, John
Huling, John E.
Irving, Elliott
Iwanski, Vincent
Janczko, Bolislaw
Johnson, Peter J.
Jennrich, Eugene
Jones, William R.
Keever, John
Kay, Dwight L.
Kendall, William H.
Kerr, Samuel B.
Kimball, Raymond J.
Klopp, Benjamin
Kohlhas, Karl
Kroczynski, Peter
Laraway, Otto
Laufer, Harry H.
Lawson, James H.
Lawton, Ledra M.
Levan, Frank J.
Lewenicht, Charles F.
Loucks, Howard C.
Mangan, Owen B.
Marshall, Robert
McCunn, Harold M.
McGuirk, Frederick M.
McGuire, Peter
Mertz, Albert C.
Miller, Arthur A.
Mitchell, Donald J.
Mitchell, William
Mole, Joseph A.
Monczynski, Frank S.
Moore, Edwin A.
Morgan, George W.
Mosier, Howard C.
Morehouse, Harry W.
Morone, Dominick
Muller, Oscar T.
Nigro, Sebastian
Nole, Sam
O'Brien, James A.
O'Mara, Harold
Pardington, William L.
Parker, Earl B.
Partington, James C.
lcl
Rank
Bnd Sgt
Pvt
Pvt lcl
Cpl
Cpl
Rgt Sgt Mj
Wagoner
Pvt
Pvt
Saddler
Pvt
Sgt
Cpl
Mus 2cl
Bnd Sgt Mj
Pvt
Sgt
Cpl
Band Cpl
Pvt
Mus 3cl
Cpl
Cpl
1st Sgt
Pvt
Pvt
Pvt
Cpl
Cpl
Pvt
Mus 2cl
Bugler
Mus 3cl
Cpl
Mus 2cl
Pvt
Bnd
Cnl
Wagoner
Mus lcl
Bnd Sgt Mj
Pvt lcl
Pvt
Sgt
Pvt
Pvt
Pvt
Colo
Cpl
Col
Sgt
Col
Bugler
Pvt
Pvt lcl
Mech
Pvt
Cpl
Pvt
Pvt
Mus lcl
Cpl
Cpl
lcl
lcl
Sgt
Home Address
125 Weldon St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Bloomingburgh, N. Y.
16 W. 101st St., New York City.
23 Burnside Ave., Oneonta, N. Y.
188 E. Felton St., Tonawanda, N. Y.
105 Main St., Batavia, N. Y.
1309 Taylor Ave., Utica, N. Y.
Otego, N. Y.
405 W. Grey St., Elmira, N. Y.
II Patten St., Stapleton, S. I., N. Y.
426 Cooper St., Utica, N. Y.
243 Maple St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Ossining, N. Y.
146 Main St., Yorkville, N. Y.
291 Ashland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
1097 Smith St., Buffalo, N. Y.
165 East St., Buffalo, N. Y.
230 Thompson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
63 Ashley St., Buffalo, N. Y.
451 Watson St., Lackawanna, N. Y.
108 Main St., Fredonia, N. Y.
708 44th St., Milwaukee, Wis.
576 W. 191st St., New York City.
38 Silver Lane, Ocean Side, L. I., N. Y.
297 Potomac Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Station A, Ogdensburg, N. Y.
Hawkins Ave., Hamburg, N. Y.
115 Woodward Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
508 Norwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
802 Genesee St., Buffalo, N. Y.
490 Amherst Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
15 River St., Oneonta, N. Y.
107 Dewey Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cannonsville, N. Y.
North Collins, N. Y.
55 Pink St., Buffalo, N. Y.
21 Howard St., Buffalo, N. Y.
R.F.D., Canton, N. Y.
208 5th St., Lackawanna, N. Y.
139 Chenango St., Buffalo, N. Y.
352 Auburn Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
526 Aldine Ave., Chicago, 111.
Travers Island, N. Y.
2211 Bailey Ave., Buffalo. N. Y.
III 31st St., Woodcliff, N. J.
697 Potomac Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Harrisburg, Arkansas.
226 7th St., Buffalo, N. Y.
2402 Bailev Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
926 Blandine St., Utica, N. Y.
37 Walnut St., Batavia, N. Y.
Brushtown, N. Y.
125 North St., Middletown, N. Y.
Whitehall, N. Y.
52 Grand Ave., Ridgefield Park, N. Y.
515 7th St., Buffalo, N. Y.
44 Charles St., Buffalo N. Y.
25 6th St., Ridgefield Park, N. J.
238 James St., Buffalo, N. Y.
318 N. Water St., Newburgh, N. Y.
92 Bravton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
77 Coyle Ave., Pawtucket, R. I.
42
THE WAR BOOK
Xa)iic
Rank
Pattori; Lee F.
Bnd Sgt Mi
Pescosolido, Vincenzo
Pvt lcl
Plassman, Howard S.
Pvt
Pilat, Bronislaw
Pvt
Porter, Horace
Pvt
Polikoski, John
Pvt
Poppenberg, James F.
Pvt lcl
Potts, John R. L.
Pvt lcl
Prespare, Ezra E.
Pvt lcl
Prudom, George B.
Cpl
Ranchstadt, Max G.
Bnd Ldr
Reed, George T.
Cook
Rice, Joseph J.
Pvt lcl
Ridder, Henry
Sgt
Riley, John J.
Cpl
Roche, William A.
Mus lcl
Rodin, Benard E.
Pvt lcl
Saville, Harry I.
Cpl
Sawyer, Enoch A.
Sgt
Schrader, John
Pvt
Scrinda, Charles
Chf Mech
Seifert, Theodore
Mus 2cl
Sellstrom, Clarence F.
Pvt lcl
Sharman, William
Cpl
Simons, Henry R.
Wagoner
Sisto, Thomas A.
Pvt
Smilowitz, Charles
Pvt lcl
Smith, John
Pvt lcl
Spicer, Edgar J.
Pvt
Stall, John J.
Sgt
Stegner, Harold A.
Sgt
Stollmeyer, August
Pvt
Strader, Raymond A.
Pvt
Stoddard, George J.
Pvt
Sullivan, Jeremiah J.
Pvt
Tanner, Walter E.
Pvt
Taylor, Raymond
Wagoner
Tesmer, Irving J.
Cook
Thebold, Edward
Pvt
Twozski, Benjamin
Pvt
Van Amburg, Harry W.
Pvt
Vantine, John S.
Pvt
Vantre, Thomas J.
Pvt
Wagner, Charles H.
Mess Sgt
Wagner, George W.
Pvt
Waldroff, Carl L.
Cpl
Ward, Regonald A.
Cpl
Ware, Benjamin R.
Pvt
Warmington, Edward
Cpl
Weatherby, George J.
Srt Bugler
Weiss, Fred W.
Pvt
Welker, Ernest H.
Bnd Sgt
Whelen, John J.
Cpl
White, Harry
Supp Sgt
Wiedemer, Joseph M.
Color Sgt
Wurtz, Howard P.
Cpl
Wyman, Elliott
Pvt
Young, Nicholas J.
Pvt lcl
Zeitler, John B.
Bnd Sgt
Zimarino, Angelo
Mus lcl
Zimmerman, Earl E.
Pvt lcl
Zimmerman, George J.
Cpl
Home Address
Samaria, Mich.
345 Brady St., Detroit, Mich.
716 Main St., Buffalo, N. Y.
452 Holland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Stony Ford, N. Y.
216 Woltz Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
144 E. Delavan Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
134 Lawrence St., New York City.
Ellenburg Center, N. Y.
R.F.D. No. 36, Middleport, N. Y.
551 William St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Information unknown.
91 Carolina St., Albion, N. Y.
355 Koons Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
169 City Terrace, Newburgh, N. Y.
509 E. 77th St., New York City.
200 9th St., N.E., Washington, D. C.
Orchard Park, N. Y.
R.F.D. 2, Rome, N. Y.
49 Dennison Ave., Binghamton, N. Y.
88 Baker St., Buffalo, M. Y.
90 Stanton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
173V2 S. Main St., Jamestown, N. Y.
245 E. 71st St., New York City.
Railroad Ave., Attica, N. Y.
240 7th St., Buffalo, N. Y.
17 Varet St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Highland Mills, N. Y.
614 Linwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
191 Hoyt St., Buffalo, N. Y.
262 Highland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
9 Cedar St., Stapleton, L. I., N. Y.
R.F.D. Star Route, Malone, N. Y.
Montour Falls, N. Y.
243 E. 19th St., New York City.
515 Niagara St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
126 State St., Binghamton, N. Y.
800 Glenwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
424 Lorimer St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Glencove, N. Y.
377 Northampton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Milfort, N. Y.
510 Flushing Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Mongaup Valley, N. Y.
244 W. 17th St., New York City.
616 Bronson St., Watertown, N. Y.
270 Santiago Ave., Rutherford, N. J.
24 Welmont PI., Buffalo, N. Y.
432 E. 57th St, New York City.
222 Box Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
90 Walden Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Darien Center, N. Y.
116 E. 123rd St., New York City.
576 W. 161st St., New York City.
1090 E. Ferry St., Buffalo, N. Y.
151 Fordham Drive, Buffalo, N. Y.
Blasdell, N. Y.
Dansville, N. Y.
102 Barthel St., Buffalo, N. Y.
128 S. Swan St., Batavia, N. Y.
Old Delaware Rd., Buffalo, N. Y.
840 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
Battery "A"
BATTERY "A"
On Monday, September 9th, the firing battery was hauled to the
front with Quad trucks and the rest of the battery left for Baleicourt
with the horses and caissons. Our active participation in the great
war had commenced. The battery arrived at Charny about 9 o'clock
of the evening of the tenth and succeeded in putting three guns in
position before the break of dawn. The wires were taken over from
the French and the battery switch-boards and phones were speedily
installed. The heavens cut loose torrents of rain and the cannoneers
received their first dose of French mud. At five o'clock every one
was sleeping in the fairly comfortable dugouts.
Meanwhile the men with the horses and caissons were struggling
through the mud to Baleicourt. It was a hard trip and both horses
and men were at the point of exhaustion when they reached the first
battery echelon.
During the three days before the supplies reached Charny, the
battery subsisted mainly on abandoned bread which the French had
left and which was edible after the portion which the rats had enjoyed
had been cut away. The supplies finally arrived and with Lieutenant
Wagner as mess sergeant and
Privates Gallagher and Szcze-
cinski as cooks, a very tasty
meal of corned beef fried in
gun grease was prepared. It
was a culinary triumph but
nearly ruined the St. Mihiel
demonstration.
Captain Burkhardt adjust-
ed the battery from an obser-
vation post at Fort Bourrus
and Corporal Smentkiewicz
earned the commendation of
the B. C. for his speedy and
accurate work with his piece.
The situation was very dra-
matic and the town of Brabant
was being rapidly demolished
until down in the inner re-
cesses of the fortress a band
46 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
started to play some "Jazz" music and the Captain found himself ragging
the commands.
The battery fired an eleven hour barrage to fool the "Jerries" into
believing that something was really going to happen and it worked.
German artillery was concentrated on our front and very promptly
something did happen; — on our right, the 1st American Army reduced
the St. Mihiel Sector.
The batterv finally moved to Chattancourt, directly in the rear of
Dead Man's Hill. The dugouts wTere wet and muddy in this position
and the battery was troubled with an epidemic of "gold-fish." The
ammunition train in close co-operation with the battery dumped
the "Hummers" and "Eoafers" somewhat less than a mile down the
hill near Chattancourt. The cannoneers had a stiff job carrying that
consignment of steel up the hill night and day for a week.
The barrage of the 26th of September, that memorable day when
the Huns were dislodged from Forges, Bethincourt, Montfaucon and
other positions, was in itself a great reward for the labor attached.
From 5.30 a.m. until 9.30, the Germans received a concentration of
fire that made previous demonstrations appear as hailstorms. The
enemy counter-preparation was weak and ineffective.
The next position was on the Forges-Bethincourt road. In this
position, there was an absolute absence of dugouts. The telephone
central was a small box, accommodating one man, and the rest of
the battery used shelter-halves. The post of command was in the
detail wagon and the officers slept standing up. The detail had
an exciting time and a strenuous one keeping communication with
the O.P. open. The O.P. was in the Bois de Forges, Privates Boland,
Beers, and Brown particularly distinguishing themselves working under
severe enemy fire.
Lieutenant Wagner, the executive officer, became ill with appen-
dicitis and was forced to leave for the Base Hospital. He had been
with the battery since it left Buffalo and the organization lost in him
a hard and conscientious worker.
Lieutenant Richardson became executive officer and remained as
such until the end of the war. He was a very popular battery officer
and will always be remembered as "Jake, doggone it." "Dudley, did
yon see my gum?"
Gercourt, the next battery position, was a heart-breaker. As usual,
the battery moved in a pouring rain, the boys were drenched, and
the guns were not in position until 5 a.m. Many a miserable "Soldat"
would have welcomed a bursting shell that night as a release from
his misery. Captain Burkhardt while on a reconnoissance for an
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 47
observation post, wandered inadvertently into "No Man's Land" in
the vicinity of Dannevoux Woods and discovered his position by
inquiring- of a "dough-boy" patrol, the position of the front line.
One gun was taken for repair to the Mobile Ordnance Repair
Shop but the battery got along nicely with the other three. Again, in
this position, the battery was forced to resort to "pup" tents in the
absence of any dugouts.
The battery echelon had moved successively from Baleicourt to
La Claire and then to the Forges Road. The work was very monot-
onous, continual grooming, grazing and watering of the horses, until
the men were nearly at the end of their patience and every one longed
to be with the "firing battery." First Sergeant Shea had his troubles
trying to convince the drivers that their work was just as essential
to final success as the cannoneers'. Corporal McBride sprained his
ankle when the horses ran away with the detail wagon. He tried to
mount the seat, to work the brake, and was thrown violently, sus-
taining injuries that necessitated his removal to the hospital. Around
this time the battery as a whole commenced to fight a separate war
with the "cooties." Charlie Chaplin's idea of a nutmeg grater
would have been very popular if such an article had been an issue.
The battery departed for Camp Chene-Gossin, near Dugny, where
it was supposed to rest. It rested by grooming the horses, and
cleaning the harness from 7.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. each day. Colonel
Smith was deeply hurt wmenever he found mud on equipment, but
his sense of injury did not approach that of a cannoneer, up to his
knees in mud, trying to convince the horses that the Chariot de Pare
was not meant to be stationary.
The battery left Chene-Gossin on October 28th, taking up posi-
tion at Brabant sur Meuse. An observation post was established
in Forges Woods in a tree, which had previously been used by the
Germans for observation purposes. The battery attained, in this
position, its highest efficiency, several times opening their counter-
preparation offensive within three or four minutes after the "S.O.S."
from the Infantry came over the wire, and at one particular time
destroyed a German transport train on the road. The battery fire
also created great havoc among the enemy machine-gunners. The
co-operation with the Infantry was as near perfection as is possible
to attain.
Flowever, although Brabant was the most successful position in a
military sense, the battery sustained at this time its only casualties
at the front, and the members of the battery lost a true comrade,
Louis J. Boland. In the late afternoon of October 31st, an order had
48 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
been issued that all unnecessary wheel material should be removed to
the battery echelon. Several members of the detail, under Sergeant
Herrmann's supervision, were unloading the detail wagon, so that
it could be removed to the rear, under cover of night. The enemy
dropped a shell, directly in rear of the battery position and almost
instantly another shell screamed harmlessly overhead, landing just
across the Meuse. Sergeant Herrmann directed the men to seek
shelter, but scarcely were the words uttered when the third and last
shell fell three yards in rear of the wagon and a flying fragment
struck and instantly killed one of the battery's hardest workers,
"Dutch" Boland. The same shell wounded slightly Privates Olin R.
Beers and William G. Caddy. The same day Corporal I. M. Williams
was slightly wounded by a flying fragment. In addition to these casual-
ties there had been one during training. Pvt. Alex. Pulaski was killed
during mounted drill at Campobello.
The enemy's artillery continually shelled the vicinity of the Bat-
tery's position, one night in particular, cutting the telephone wires to
the guns and forcing Sergeant Herrman to crawl out with the aid of
Corporal Kamholz's camouflage wire, to determine whether the oper-
ator at the guns, Private Schneider, was still able and healthy enough
to be about. At this time, Corporal Kemp was relieved as line Cor-
poral by Corporal Symons and sent to motor school. At the same
time Corporal O'Leary relieved Corporal Barth as Ammunition N.
C. O. Corporal Barth had acted as Company Clerk, 1st Sergeant,
Supply Sergeant and Ammunition Non-Com, since the arrival at the
front and had capably filled the multiple job with great efficiency and
to the satisfaction of all. Sergeant McKay left for motor school but
the other Chiefs of Section, Sergeants Bridenbaker, Quinn, Kubiak,
Kaznowski, Von Daacke and O'Donnell alternated with the Gun
Sections, securing Al results until finally every man in each gun
section at the gun position could capably fill the Gun Corporal's shoes,
and Howard H. Burkhardt had made and finished off the model bat-
tery of his dreams with every man able to do the other man's job,
and had established himself as one of the best if not the best Battery
Commander in the 52nd Brigade. The Special Detail had also reached
a high point of efficiency and no job could feaze them either laying
a long O.P. line or keeping one in operation in the face of heavy shell-
fire. The effective work of Sergt. Weaver cannot be forgotten.
Lieut. Odom was assigned to the battery about November 7th and re-
mained with it until the signing of the armistice. On November 9th, the
battery moved to Ormont Farm and fired at the last objective, the Hill
Romagne, that separated the infantry from the plains of the Woevre, and
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 49
the taking of which spelled disaster to the enemy. The detail attained
their wildest dream — an O. P. — only one kilo distant, but at this juncture
the enemy deemed discretion the better part of valor and signed the un-
conditional surrender. "A" Battery celebrated by sleeping.
After a few days of comfort at the last position, which had been
turned into winter quarters, the battery hiked to Jardin-Fontaine and
the battery history again merges into the history of the 106th.
The men of Battery "A" will never forget their comrades who labored
and fought by their side in the Argonne, nor will they forget their officers
— the Little Napoleon, Lieuts. Lillie, Wagner, Richardson, Hall and
Odom. It is fitting before we conclude this record to inscribe our appre-
ciation of the tireless devotion and noble zeal which our leader always
manifested. His fair judgment and kindly integrity shall be remembered
long after events and happenings have been forgotten. And as the days
make us older, our maturity will strengthen our regard and forever
cement those lofty qualities into our souls as a tribute to our captain,
Howard H. Burkhardt.
Let us try and try hard to maintain for the years to come the same
spirit and firm adherence to duty. The habits we have formed, if prac-
tised, will bring the success we seek, equal to the success we sought in
those troublesome days ; and the record of what we do will then conform
to the record of what we did. So will the years to come be as pleasant
to recall as the associations and happenings of those days, now passed
are now delightful to think about. Then will those ideals which we have
cherished and fought so hard to preserve be the means of placing "Old
Glory" as the first in war, the first in peace and the first in the hearts of
her countrymen.
"THINGS TO REMEMBER."
"J. B."
"Trixie."
"Little Napoleon."
"The first supper at Charny ; Corn-willie a la Gunoil."
"Uniform for air raids (O. D.), woolen underwear."
"Imaginary gas."
"How everybody rides in the Field Artillery."
"What's the matter, men? The horses are doing all the work."
"The Rest Camps."
"Tanner's aerial raid on the kitchen."
"That waterless bath at Souilly."
"Corp. Ike's method of removing a friend's boots."
50
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
"When the ammunition train brought the shells up to the gun pits
at Chattancourt." "Oh, yes, they did."
"Sergt. G. D. Bridenhaker cautioning his men, 'Blankety, blank, etc' "
'The Baltimore Flash."
"Mike, there's some difference between mass and mess."
'The Heavenly Twins ; paw and me, too."
"Christmas Day in Argentre, or who stole the goose?"
"Battles of Gradignan, Bordeaux and Cognac Hill."
"Last but not least, 'Liver hash.' "
ROSTER OF BATTERY "A," 106th FIELD ARTILLERY
Name Rank
Burkhardt, Howard H. Captain
Rogers, Embre C. 1st Lieut.
Knox, Reginald U. 1st Lieut.
Wagner, Whitney A. 2nd Lieut.
Lillie, James W. 2nd Lieut.
Hall, Joseph G. 2nd Lieut.
Odom, Archie D. 2nd Lieut.
Richardson, Jasper 2nd Lieut.
Adams, Albert H. Pvt
Alexander, Arthur Pvt
Alzynski, Joseph E. Pvt
Bailey, Gail S. Pvt
Barth, Frank L. Cpl
Bascom, Allie F. Pvt lcl
Beers, Olin R. Cpl
Bickford, George H. Wagoner
Bilkey, Frank Wagoner
Biniakiawitz, Josef Pvt lcl
Bitondo, Peter Wagoner
Blackley, Harry Pvt
Blaze jewski, Anthonv F. Pvt
Bliss, Charles A. Pvt
Bloom, Clifford St. J. Pvt
Borowiak, John Pvt lcl
Bowen, Walter F. Pvt lcl
Brentnell, Frank, Jr. Chf Mech
Bridenbaker, Arthur Sgt
Brown, Hugh Pvt lcl
Brown, Frank D. Pvt
Brown, Henry G. Pvt
Bomhoff, Frederick H. Pvt
Brzeczkiewicz, Stanley Pvt lcl
Buck, Ora E. Pvt lcl
Burr, W. Lester Pvt lcl
Burns, Charles V. Pvt
Caddy, William G. Pvt lcl
Caffrey, James L. Pvt lcl
Caldwell, Arthur S. Pvt
Callis, Morris C. Pvt
Campbell, Donald J. Cpl
Campbell, John K. Pvt
Carchia, Lorenzo Pvt
Cerro, Anthony Pvt
Home Address
5502 Main St., Williamsville, N. Y.
1577 East 13th St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Howe Place, Bronxville, N. Y.
201 Lewis St., Geneva, N. Y.
Toms River, N. J.
Peugilly, Minn.
Nashville, N. C.
201 Riverdale Ave., Springfield, Mass.
824 Michigan Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
688 South Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1455 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
191 Gibson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
142 Farmer St., Buffalo, N. Y.
189 Van Buren St., Lockport, N. Y.
Beerston, N. Y.
120 Harvey Ave., Lockport, N. Y.
109 Landon St., Buffalo, N. Y.
74 Howell St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Montesce, Italy.
110 Elm St., Lockport, N. Y.
223 Miller Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
40 Seabrook St., Rochester, N. Y.
19 Minerva Place, Bronx, N. Y.
68 Sears St., Buffalo, N. Y.
426 Third St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Sloatsburg, N. Y.
Ellicottville, N. Y.
Brude Mills, Ontario, Can.
R.F.D. No. 3, Hornell, N. Y.
Ramsev, Mich.
917 Sixtieth St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Route No. 2, Saginaw, Mich.
707 Fifth St., Cedar Rapids, Mich.
410 Young Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
147 East 22nd St., New York City.
Ironwood, Mich.
44 Fourth St., Pelham, N. Y.
Constantine, Mich.
Manton, Mich.
Corfu, N. Y.
216 South Waco St., Hillsboro, Texas.
114 Mulberry St., New York City. ,
519 Jefferson Ave., Utica, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
51
Name
Rank
Chandley, Herbert J.
Pvt
Childs, Alfred
Pvt
Cichowski, John
Cook
Ciesielski, Walter B.
Mech
Cinchola, Louis W.
Pvt
Cohn, Milton
Pvt
Colwell, Alphonse A.
Pvt lcl
Conklin, David B.
Pvt
Conklin, Frank S.
Wagoner
Conley, Hugh F.
Pvt
Crawford, John
Pvt
Crawford, Lee W.
Pvt lcl
Davenport, Winfield
Pvt
Day, Harold H.
Pvt
Dekowski, Adam J.
Pvt lcl
Delaney, James L.
Pvt
Dence, Clarence
Pvt lcl
Dermake, William
Pvt
DeWitt, Abraham J.
Pvt
Dodge, Harold A.
Pvt
Drenning, Casper J.
Cpl
Drews, Joseph
Pvt
Duane, James A.
Pvt
Dudley, Daniel W.
Wagoner
Durbin, Arthur J. V.
Pvt lcl
Erway, Emmett S.
Pvt
Evans, Rudolph W.
Pvt
Farrell, William R.
Pvt lcl
Fintack, Joseph M.
Bugler
Fleming, William J.
Pvt
Foesz, Alfred J.
Pvt
Forsberg, John V.
Pvt
Fox, Horace A.
Pvt
Freind, Adam N.
Pvt
Frost, Henry E.
Chf Mch
Gaiek, John J.
Pvt lcl
Gallagher, William
Cpl
Gauss, Clifton F.
Pvt lcl
Geulis, William
Pvt
Gibbons, Edward P.
Wagoner
Glover, Leroy J.
Pvt
Hagen, Chris
Pvt
Hall, Howard D.
Pvt
Hartinger, George
Cook
Harrington, Robert H.
Pvt
Hatch, Lewis C.
Pvt
Hawkins, Perry
Wagoner
Herman, William
Pvt
Herrmann, Frank A.
Sgt
Higgins, Daniel J.
Pvt
Hoffman, William
Pvt
Hogan, Martin
^addler
Horth, Walter L.
Pvt
Howe, Ellsworth M.
Pvt
Hunt, Albert H.
Waeoner
Hyburg, Victor E.
Wagoner
Ilardo, Anthony
Pvt
Trvin, Roy C.
Sgt
Jankowski, John S.
Pvt lcl
Tarosz, Charles
bugler
Tarzenbowski. Frank S.
Pvt
Jendrasiak, Bernard
Pvt lcl
Home Address
199 Maple St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Star Route, Edenville, Mich
60 Newton St., Buffalo, N. Y
228 Persons St., Buffalo, N. Y
215 Pearl St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
540 West 157th St., New York City.
282 Allendale Ave., Detroit, Mich.
Great Bend, Pa.
Walton, N. Y.
19 South St., Lockport, N. Y.
550 Elk St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Trout Creek, N. Y.
Treadwell, N. Y.
119 Cortland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
249 Sobieski St., Buffalo, N. Y
90 Church St., Lockport, N. Y.
111 East Genesee St., Buffalo, N. Y.
6501 15th Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
1004 Atlantic Ave., Rochester, N. Y
775 East Delevan Ave., Buffalo, N. Y
3 Halbert St., Buffalo, N. Y
146 Detroit, St., Buffalo, N. Y.
2836 Decatur Ave., New York City.
115 Young St., Rochester, N. Y.
119 Hillside Ave., Rochester, N. Y.
Fort Erie, Ontario, Can.
189 York St., Hamilton, Ontario, Can.
112 Spruce Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Rd No. 3, Box No. 97, East Eden, N. Y.
448 West 35th St., New York City.
R.F.D. No. 1, Owosso, Mich.
R.F.D. No. 1, Tustin, Mich.
6 West Falls St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
237 Howard Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y
116 Herman St., Buffalo, N. Y.
347 Amherst St., Buffalo, N. Y.
910 Washington Ave., Scranton, Pa.
2303 Oliver St., Baltimore, Md.
116 Goethe St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Portville, N. Y.
835 Waverly Place, Utica, N. Y
32 Main St., Batavia, N. Y.
209 Adam St., Tonawanda, N. Y.
511 North Oak St., Buffalo, N. Y.
212 Fabius St., Syracuse, N. Y.
3510 So. Florence St., San Antonio. Tex.
Davton, N. Y.
2837 East 99th St., Cleveland, O.
560 Second Ave., Astoria, N. Y
283 West Third St.. Corning, N. Y.
35 West 116th St., New York City.
224 East 95th St., New York City.
1306 Elm St., Utica, N. Y.
312 Dove St., Dunkirk, N. Y.
264 East Utica St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Depew, N. Y.
153 Dante Place, Buffalo, N. Y.
Onnalinda, Pa.
276 Leopere St., Buffalo. N. Y
492 Harris St.. Buffalo, N. Y.
53 Schutrum St., Buffalo, N. Y.
67 Houghton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
52
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Name
Rank
Jezuwit, John
Mech
Johler, Jacob
Mech
Johnson, Leroy S.
Sgt
Judson, Sydney
Pvt
Kamholz, August
Cpl
Kaplan, David
Cpl
Kazmierczak, Stanley
Wagoner
Kaznowski, John
Sgt
Keeler, Harold L.
Pvt
Keller, Raymond J.
Pvt
Kelley, Mathew P.
Pvt
Kemp, Harry U.
Cpl
Kielanczvk, John
Pvt
Kolodzinski, John
Cpl
Kopczynski, Frank
Pvt
Krauss, Walter
Pvt lcl
Kruk, John J.
Pvt lcl
Kubiak, Felix
Sgt
Kulizowski, John
Pvt lcl
Larsen, Carl
Pvt
Laskey, John J.
Pvt lcl
Lefko, James
Cook
Lemen, Clifford
Cpl
Libath, George C.
Pvt
Lis, Kaiser
Pvt
Martin, John J.
Pvt lcl
Mason, Donald W.
Pvt lcl
May, William F.
Pvt lcl
McBride, John J.
Pvt
McDonald, Joseph H.
Pvt lcl
McKay, James F.
Sgt
McLaren, William
Pvt
McLaughlin, Michael F.
Pvt lcl
Mega, Adam
Pvt
Afergler, George E.
Mess Sgt
Michalski, Walter
Pvt lcl
Mortek, Adam J.
Pvt lcl
Nicholas, Ralph A.
Wagoner
Niezgoda, Andrew
Pvt
Norton, Matthew F.
Pvt lcl
Nowatzki, Lzymutt
Pvt
O'Donnell. Cornelius A.
Pvt
O'Leary, Edward
Cpl
Olkiewicz, Frank
Pvt lcl
O'Neil, Raymond J.
Pvt
Palmer, Arnold E.
Wagoner
Paprota, Anthony
Cook
Pattullo, Andrew
Pvt
Phillips, Edward
Col
Pinkowski, Leonard
Col
Polony, Felix
Wagoner
Poltowicz, Joseph
Pvt
Potemipa, John
Wagoner
Pressfreund. Edwin S.
Cpl'
Przybylski. Walter
Pvt
Quinn. Edwin T.
Sgt
Rasp, George, Jr.
Cpl
Raymond. Harry E.
Cpl
Richter. Charles H.
Cnl
Ryan, Donald D.
Wagoner
Sanna, James E.
Pvt lcl
Savage, William J.
Wagoner
Home Address
72 Lombard St., Buffalo, N. Y.
463 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
198 Sprague Ave., Liberty, N. Y.
26 Bacon St., Lockport, N. Y.
2805 Main St., Buffalo, N. Y.
140 Fourth St., Jersey Citv, N. J.
1186 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
97 Thomas St., Buffalo, N. Y.
69 Mitten St., Buffalo, N. Y.
392 Emslie St., Buffalo, N. Y.
105 Chestnut St., Lockport, N. Y.
Orchard Park, N. Y.
334 Hamburg St., Buffalo, N. Y.
191 Walnut St., Buffalo, N. Y.
17 Newton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
267 Pink St., Buffalo, N. Y.
177 Playton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
123 Sobieski St., Buffalo, N. Y.
19 Third Ave., Tonawanda, N. Y.
37 47th St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
R.F.D. No. 3, Medina, N. Y.
122 22nd St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Dansville, N. Y.
1513 Curtis Ave., Richmond Hill, N. Y.
205 Kentucky St., Buffalo, N. Y.
80 Chapel St., Lockport, N. Y.
Care Rochester Herald, Rochester, N. Y.
22 Kalyer St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
230 Hamburg St., Buffalo, N. Y.
77 Avon St., Lawrence, Mass.
66 Claremont Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
18 Pleasant St., Thompsonville, Conn.
120 Frost St., Blakeley, Pa.
49 Chicago St., Buffalo, N. Y.
444 High St., Buffalo, N. Y.
59 Railroad St., Oneida, N. Y.
88 Peck St.. Buffalo, N. Y.
140 Locust St., Lockport, N. Y.
55 Clark St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Tracy Hotel, Chestnut St., Phila., Pa.
75 Van Rensellear St., Buffalo, N. Y.
413 Elk St., Buffalo, N. Y.
7 Third Ave., Long Island City, N. Y.
57 Bridgeman St., Buffalo, N. Y.
171 Fourth St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Caledonia, N. Y.
1364 Sycamore St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Woodstock, Ontario, Can.
Middleport, N. Y.
330 Curtis St., Buffalo, N. Y.
135 Mohr Ave.. Buffalo, N. Y.
32 Sweet St., Buffalo, N. Y.
240 Schiller St., Buffalo, N. Y.
4 East 113th St., New York City.
David Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
94 Alabama St., Buffalo, N. Y.
51 Orange St., Buffalo, N. Y.
643 West Ave.. Buffalo, N. Y.
322 East 41st St., New York Citv.
116 East 63rd St., New York City.
3107 Park Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
9 James St., Morris, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
53
Name Rank
Schneider, Jacob A. Wagoner
Schoncite, Irving Pvt
Shine, Frederick J. Pvt lcl
Silverstein, Charles Pvt
Siminowski, Felix Pvt lcl
Siulc, Anthony Pvt lcl
Seager, Charles M. Sup Set
Shea, Archie E. 1st Sgt
Smentkiewicz, Leo F. Cpl
Spayd, Raymond E. Pvt
Stakurski, Ignacz Pvt
Stoldt, Fred C. Pvt
Storey, Albert A. Pvt
Strieker, Julius Pvt lcl
Surdaski, Edward Pvt
Sweistak, Piotr Pvt
Symons, Alfred Cpl
Szczechowski, Stanley Mech
Szczecinski, John J. Cpl
Szymkowiak, Felix Pvt
Taber, Lawrence Pvt
Tanner, Frank K. Pvt
Truckenport, Harvey B. Wagoner
Tulimowski, Konstanty Pvt lcl
Van Kirk, Emmett Pvt
Von Beck, John A. Pvt
Von Daacke, James C. Sgt
Wachowiak, John J. Pvt
Waldowski, Vitold Pvt lcl
Washington, Martin J. Pvt
Weaver, Oswald K. Sgt
Weber, William Pvt
Wells, Hector M. Wagoner
Weltz, Joseph F. Pvt
Wenslaus, Alexander Pvt
Williams, Isaac M. Cpl
Witmer, Joseph H. Cpl
Wojttsiak, Vincent Pvt lcl
Wooster, Winfield S. Pvt
Wurtz, Joseph Pvt
Yewtushewski. John Pvt lcl
Yodges, Joseph Pvt lcl
Young, William L. Pvt lcl
Zaborowski, Bernard Pvt lcl
Zminkowski, Martin Pvt lcl
Zuilkowski, John Pvt lcl
Home Address
381 Davey St., Buffalo, N. Y.
794 East 158th St., New York City.
206 Sweeney St., Buffalo, N. Y.
299 Throop Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
242 Lathrop St., Buffalo, N. Y.
16 Nayanga St., Depew, N. Y.
Dalton, N. Y.
107 West 121st St., New York City.
66 Claremont Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
14 Transit St., Woonsocket, R. I.
937 Highland, Syracuse, N. Y.
Algoa, Texas.
513 Weigh St., Bronx, N. Y.
151 East 123rd St., New York City.
41 Sear Ave., Depew, N. Y.
28 Roseville St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Eggertsville, N. Y.
17 First Ave., North Tonawanda, N. Y.
31 Louis Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
245 Lackawanna Ave., Sloan, N. Y.
Wellsville, N. Y.
145 Highland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
310 Winslow Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
88 Pulaski St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Johnsons, N. Y.
252 Crowley Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
73 Young Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
444 Stellawanna St., Lackawanna, N. Y.
292 South Third St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Waterford, N. Y.
1441 Chester St, Brooklyn, N. Y.
19 Court St., Norwich, N. Y.
47 Reed St, Buffalo, N. Y.
405 Amherst St, Buffalo, N. Y.
Clinton, N. Y.
123 Snalding Ave, Lockport, N. Y.
24 Rother Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Sidney, N. Y.
78 Suydam St, Brooklyn, N. Y.
69 Mitten St, Buffalo, N. Y.
275 Hemstead Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
60 Dale Ave, Ossining, N. Y.
122 Peck St, Buffalo, N. Y.
72 Moeller Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
8 Bronzel St, Lancaster, N. Y.
Battery "B"
BATTERY "B"
Back in America — back home again ! Who would have believed that
less than two years after we entered the service at Buffalo we would be
through with our job and ready to be mustered out. Yet such is the case.
Our time in the army, though short in comparison to the years of work
and fighting endured by the Belgians, the British, and the French, has
nevertheless been as varied as anybody could possibly wish for. We saw
about all there was to see.
We left the United States on the U. S. S. Matsonia on June 6th, 1918.
Arrived at St. Nazaire, France, on June 18th, after a trip featured only
by its lack of excitement. We stayed in St. Nazaire for seven days, leav-
ing by train on June 26th, and went to Gradignan, where we were bil-
leted in the Chateaux Lange. While in Gradignan we had our first expe-
riences with the French people and their customs, as we were practically
living with them. Our time was spent drilling and learning what we
could of the 155mm. Howitzer by the absent treatment method. After
being in Gradignan for nearly a month we hiked to Camp de Souge, leav-
ing Gradignan on the evening of July 21st, arriving at Camp de Souge
after a six-hour hike. While at Camp de Souge we received horses, at
least they called them horses, and our 155mm. material. While there
we had our first experience with French artillery, and our impression
was favorable as far as accuracy was concerned, but we found it much
harder to handle than the 4.7's we were accustomed to.
After training for more than a month we finally left on our way to
the front, leaving De Souge on September 4th. After a three-day ride
58 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
in box cars we arrived at Longeville, which was as close to the front as
the railroad could take us. We went into a temporary camp for a day.
Leaving Longeville, we started our hike to Baileicourt, which was to be
our first echelon. All our movements were made at night, and the men
and horses rested during the day. We arrived at Baleicourt on the night
of September 11th. While here we were inspected by Maj. Gen. Bell,
of the 33d Division. Battery "B" was picked by the inspectors as the
cleanest and best battery in the regiment. Batteries "A," "B," and "F"
were selected as the advance batteries of the regiment and were filled up
to full strength with men, horses, and materiel from the three other bat-
teries. At Baleicourt we experienced our first bit of excitement at the
hands of the Germans in the form of an aeroplane bombing. Although
the bombing was not very close to us, it seemed to be, and everybody
was pretty much excited.
The Battery left Baleicourt to take up our first position on September
21st, arriving in a position near Chattancourt, and also near the well
known "Dead Man's Hill." The gun positions had been old 75mm. em-
placements and had to be enlarged and improved. It was here we first
employed camouflage, the success of which was probably one of the main
reasons for our good fortune in having had no casualties. On the evening
of September 25th we received our first data for firing what was to be
part of one of the largest artillery preparations ever attempted in the war.
Battery "B" was given data to fire 440 rounds, each gun firing 110 rounds.
The executive officer for this problem was Lieut. Herbert, assisted by
Lieut. Wright. The chiefs of section ,were Sergt. Mulkern, Sergt. Bar-
rett, Sergt. Dorman, and Sergt. Blake. The gunner corporals were Corp.
Entress, Corp. Gabriel, Corp. McMahon and Corp. Stachowiak. The gun
crews were all picked men with the most experience. Here we learned
that war wasn't altogether a pleasure. It was a very hard matter
to induce the ammunition trucks to run up to the position,
and the greater part of our ammunition had to be man-handled,
most of this work being done by the gun crews, as there
were very few extra cannoneers. While in this position we were
shelled a bit, some of the arrivals landing pretty close to our
guns, but doing no damage. It was here that a squad of men was taken
from our battery to go forward and take over a battery of German guns
that had been captured, together with a lot of ammunition. Sergt. Blake
was placed in charge of this squad, with Corp. Stachowiak as his gunner.
Sergt. Rinker was then placed in charge of the fourth section, with Pvt.
Finsterbach as acting gunner. The men given Sergt. Rinker were all
green men, but afterward turned out to be one of the best gun crews in
the battcrv.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 59
We left Chattancourt on the night of October 2d to take up another
position forward. We were held up on the road for seven hours by shell
fire and by a bridge being blown up just ahead of the battery. On this
account we had to pull our guns to the side of the road and put the cam-
ouflage nets over them. The battery went back to Germonville, which
was its echelon, to wait until the next night. We left Germonville at
4:30 p. m. on October 3d and arrived at where the guns were placed just
after they had been shelled by the Germans. The guns were pulled back
on the road and we started over Forges Hill, a hill that was constantly
under fire. We were shelled with some shrapnel and a little gas, but, as
usual, no damage was done. We arrived at our position about 3 :00 a. m.
on October 4th, and were told to get our guns ready to fire at 5 :30 a. m.
At the same time the usual work of camouflage and building positions
went on just the same. We did not fire until the next day. We were in
this position two days, when it was decided that the guns were too close
together, and the second and third pieces were moved to the right of the
battery. It was in this position that we did the most firing and that the
machine-gunners of the battery had a chance to use their guns on the
Heche aeroplanes. We left Bethincourt on October 15th and laid on the
road for twelve hours waiting for the batteries ahead of us to get over the
hill. After having coffee and bread we continued our hike to Gercourt,
arriving there at 1 1 :00 a. m. on October 6th. We were in this position for
five days when we were relieved by the French. On the 22d of October
we arrived at a camp near Sennoncourt, which was to be our rest camp.
While here we worked on horses and materiel and had a chance to get
cleaned up a bit ourselves.
We were now attached to the 79th Division. We left our rest camp
on October 27, crossed the Meuse River and arrived at our new positions,
which were all dug and ready for us to go into, at 10:30 p. m. on the 28th.
The 158th Brigade had been in this position, so there was plenty of am-
munition, and things were pretty easy for us. In this position the batteries
on either side of us were heavily shelled and had several casualties. Some
of the shells were landing very close and splattering our positions with
dirt and stone, but doing no damage. It was believed for a time that we
would be in this position for some time, and lumber and sand bags were
ordered to complete the emplacements and build dugouts for the men.
While in this position we had balloon observation, and the effect of our
shots was sent back to the gun crews. It made the work a lot more inter-
esting. It seemed to make the men work harder when they actually knew
that they were doing some damage. This was one of the best positions
that we were in and we were sorry to receive the order to move.
We left Samogneux at 6:30 p. in. on November 9th, arrived at Ormont
60 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Farm at 10:30 p. m. that night and fired the next day. The data for
firing one of the problems was given to a battalion of the light artillery
and to our battalion. "B" Battery fired the first shot of the problem, and
both "A" and "B" were firing some minutes before the "lights" opened
fire. This was a test problem, neither of the outfits knowing that they
were being tried. "B" Battery's speed and accuracy earned for it another
commendation. The next day the armistice was signed, our battery firing
up until the last half hour. The news of the armistice was told to us by
Lieut. Col. Verbeck. He read us an order that our work was to go on
as usual. We continued work on our gun pits and started dug-outs. On
the 17th of November a field day was held between a detachment of
Headquarters Co., "A" and "B" Batteries, which was won by "B" Bat-
tery, "B" Battery scoring 29, "A" 22, and Headquarters 20 points. On
the 18th we were taken over ground that we had fired upon from the last
two positions. On the 19th our guns were pulled out of position with
auto trucks.
At 8:30 a. m. on November 20th we left Ormont Farm, marching to
Thierville, arriving in that place at 3 :30 p. m. We were put in barracks
at Jardin-Fontaine, an old French Military Academy. On the 23rd of
November we took a hike through Verdun and went up to some of the
forts around the city. We left Thierville at 8:45 p. m. on December
10th. We arrived in Argentre on December 14th and were placed
in billets on the property of the French people. It certainly seemed
good to be back in civilization once more. While here we turned
in all our guns and materiel. Our time was spent at close order drill.
On the 30th of January we were reviewed by Gen. Pershing, and the
brigade was complimented on its cleanliness. About this time we started
having embarkation inspection of equipment and cleanliness. This battle
of inspections was the worst one of the war, and we were glad when we
received orders to leave for Brest. We left Argentre February 26th,
entrained at Laval and arrived at Brest on the 27th. We had breakfast
and started for Pontenezen Barracks, the road to which was up hill most
of the way and very tiring. We had our final physical examination, and
on the morning of March 3d we had a full pack inspection and were re-
ported ready to embark. We left Pontenezen Barracks at 1 :30 p. m. and
marched to Brest, getting on the lighters at 4:00 p. m. and aboard the
U. S. S. America. We laid in the harbor that night and put out to sea
at 2 o'clock on March 4th.
And now, after nine days on the water, we are home again. But
while abroad we learned a great deal, some of which we rather expected
and some of which surprised us. We found that most of the ideas about
field artillery which we had gathered in the States were wrong. We
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 61
found that the artilleryman carries the same pack and the same rifle as
the doughboy, with the additional privilege of being allowed to spend
hours putting on drag ropes and lifting on wheels, while those four-legged
beasts called horses, whose work we were doing, "turned around and
laughed at us. It also dawned upon us that artillerymen do not ride and
that a battery does not dash up in double section column and do action
right. Far from it ! The cannoneers personally see that the guns are
drawn out of ditches and mud holes and over hills, and then, with the
same individual care and attention, they pull and shove each piece into its
appointed place.
But, though our deeds are dull compared to those of the more spec-
tacular branches of the service, still we do not regret our lot. We had
none of the infantry's personal contact with the enemy, netting visible
deaths and many prisoners ; we had none of the dash of a chasse squadron,
with its thrilling encounters above the clouds and the opportunity for —
and almost certainty of — numerous citations ; we had none of the romance
of the tank corps nor the chance to operate, and fight in, their almost im-
pregnable moving fortresses. But we have had what is and must be our
only reward — the knowledge that, working under the most adverse condi-
tions that a regiment could possibly encounter and survive, with horses
unworthy of the name, and with men untrained by a preliminary taste of
a "quiet sector," we nevertheless went forward with an undertaking that
was a drudgery and, by working day and night with all our might, achieved
a result which, though unwritten in newspaper stories and unnoted by the
world at large, nevertheless was the one desired by the advancing infantry
and one which reflected the greatest of credit upon our regiment and our
brigade.
This must be the artilleryman's reward — the consciousness that his
mission is fulfilled — for he can get no other. This reward is ours, and as
the years roll by we can look back and feel that where efficient artillery is
concerned the 106th Regiment and Battery "B" are second to none.
"B" BATTERY SECTION OF THE "JERRY" BATTERY.
On September 27, 1918, the fourth section gun crew went forward to
take over German guns which were taken in the drive of September 26th.
Lieut. Toomey had charge of the gun crews and the Jerry Battery, the
name by which we were known. We had a good opportunity to see the
trenches that were held by the Germans prior to the drive. We arrived
at the former German gun position at 3 :00 p. m. September 27th and re-
ceived a hot reception by the German 77's. The first gun pit of the battery
was torn up badly by our fire of the day before, and the Germans had to
62
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
get away with such haste that they did not have time to make their guns
unfit for use. The Germans had left over 1,800 rounds of shell and plenty
of powder. Being only about 1,500 yards behind the first line trenches,
we were shelled badly. On September 29th we learned the art of firing
Krupp's Pride. The next day we fired our gun as a test, and it proved
O. K. This was followed by the men in the gun crew taking their first
wash in five days, using a shell hole as a basin. On October 13th we fired
twenty-five rounds of Jerry's own shells at him and received about eighty-
nine in return, and they sure did come, but we all came out safe.
MEMBERS OF THE GUN CREW.
Sergt. Blake.
Corp. Stachowiak.
Pvt. Rasp.
Pvt. Ouinn, Frank.
Pvt. Goldberg.
Pvt. Floss.
Pvt. DeRoshey.
Pvt. Murphy.
Pvt. Borthwick.
Corp. Dewey.
ROSTER OF BATTERY "B," 106th FIELD ARTILLERY
Name
Parker, Howard K.
Toomey, George
Herbert, Philip S.
Durkin, Edward W.
Elderdice, Hugh L.
Abbey, Charles N.
Almgren, Arthur
Amelio, Vito
Andrzjewski, Max
Applegate. William G.
Armour, John J.
Bardey, Stephen
Barrett, Herbert D.
Basenski, Alley
Berchiatti, John
Berg, Carl A.
Betz, Carl
Bixler, Raymond J.
Blake, John R.
Boland. Edward J.
Borthwick, George M.
Brencher, Charles, Jr.
Brock, Ronald
Brown, Richard
Bukowski, Stanley
Burch, Charles A.
Burrell, Archibald
Carlson, Seyonte
Carpenter. William E.
Celinski, Steven
Chason'. Charles
Clark, Francis Z.
Rank Home Address
Captain 609 W. Adams St., Taylorville, 111.
Captain Buffalo, N. Y.
1st Lieut. 434 W. 22nd St., New York City.
1st Lieut. 426 N. Utica St.. Waukegan, 111.
2nd Lieut. Westminster, Md.
Pvt lcl Cherry Creek, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 259 Green Ave., Brooklyn. N. Y.
Pvt 213 Swan St.. Buffalo, N. Y.
Cpl 70 Beck St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 173 Jersey Ave., Port Jervis, N. Y.
Cpl 41 Johns St., Rensselaer, N. Y.
Wagoner 83 Ludington St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 130 East 43rd St., New York City..
Pvt 21 Titus St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Besemer, Mich.
Pvt Roselawn, Mich.
Pvt lcl Warsaw, N. Y.
Pvt McCherrystown, Pa.
Sgt 348 East Eagle St.. Buffalo. N. Y.
Pvt lcl 164 Mulberry St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 523 St. Anns Ave., New York City.
Pvt 249 Hillside Ave., Leonia, N. J.
Sgt 822 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Mess Sgt Memphis, Tenn.
Sgt Angola, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Route 4, Kosse, Texas.
Col 1081 Abbott Road. Buffalo, N. Y.
Wagoner 1139 North Main St., Jamestown. N. Y.
Pvt 1 Washington St., New York Citv.
Chf Alech 46 Brighton St.. Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 147 Niagara St.. Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 266 Hamburg St., Buffalo, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
63
Name
Rank
Clendennen, Frederick
Pvt
Chmielewski, John
Pvt
Cohn, Ralph
Pvt
Colbow, William J.
Wagoner
Collins, Gustavus M.
Cpl
Coyne, Thomas A.
Pvt lcl
Cowie, Charles R.
Pvt
Crawford, Chester R.
Wagoner
Danelas, Thomas
Pvt
Dabblestein, Henry
Pvt
Darling, Carl A.
Pvt lcl
Dashnow, Samuel
Pvt
Daum, Mathias
Pvt lcl
De-ker, Ira D.
Pvt
Dega, Anton
Pvt
DeGraw, Edward
Wagoner
DeMucci, Edward R.
Pvt
Denniston, Elmer N.
Cpl
DeRosa, Antonio
Pvt
DeRosey, Edward J.
Pvt lcl
Devers, Harold B.
Pvt
Devet, Henry
Pvt
Dewey, Elmer
Cpl
Dewey, Raymond
Pvt lcl
Dickey, James S.
Wagoner
Dieter, August A.
Pvt lcl
Dillard, John H.
Pvt lcl
Dorman, George L.
Sgt
Doyle, Charles E.
Pvt
Drabkowski, Frank
Pvt
Dreiblatt, Jacob
Pvt
Dresbeck, William F.
Wagoner
Duewiger, Emil
Pvt
Durfee, Ennis E.
Cpl
Dworsak, Dominick
Cpl
Eliashuk, Jakim
Pvt
Emden, Harry
Cook
Entress, Reinhart
Cpl
Etosh, Jack
Pvt
Ferrante, Giovanni
Pvt
Fleishman, Albert M.
Pvt
Fries, Joseph
Pvt
Gabriel, William J.
Cpl
Gajewski, John J.
Pvt lcl
Garvey, Michael
Wagoner
Georgiafentis, Chrass.
Pvt lcl
Getter, Walter L.
1st Sgt
Gengola, Charles A.
Pvt
Goldberg, Benjamin
Pvt lcl
Goodman, Leonard
Pvt
Gorski, Casmer
Pvt
Gracie, James
Mech
Gravener, Kenneth F.
Pvt lcl
Gunsur, Frank
Pvt
Guttenplan, Isidore
Pvt
Haag, Albert C.
Pvt lcl
Hackemer, Arthur E.
Wagoner
Hamacker, Edward
Pvt
Handte, John H.
Pvt lcl
Hardy, Izydore
Pvt
Hawkins, Stanley M.
Cpl
Held, Harry H.
Pvt
Home Address
61 Monhagen Ave., Middletown, N. Y.
70 Wilson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
251 Lenox Ave., New York City.
4800 No. Main St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
53 Ardmore PI., Buffalo, N. Y.
443 west 54th St., New York City.
Interurban Hotel, Detroit, Mich.
Cannonsville, N. Y.
184 4th St., Milwaukee, Wis.
1003 Bryton Park PI., Utica, N. Y.
604 North Elm St., Three Oaks, Mich.
Constable, N. Y.
283 Maryer St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
117 William St., Walden, N. Y.
947l/2 First Ave., Milwaukee, Wis.
R.F.D. No. 1, Montgomery, N. Y.
165 West 10th St, New York City.
R.F.D. No. 4, Newburgh, N. Y.
Box 35, Middleport, N. Y.
R.F.D. No. 2, Iron River, Mich.
R.F.D. No. 4, Mason, Mich.
Kipling, Mich.
14 Vary St., Buffalo, N. Y.
14 Vary St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Ill Prospect St., North Sturgis, Mich.
1445 Military Ave., Detroit, Mich.
Stranger, Mich.
321 Hudson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
23 Kepple St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1264 Michigan Ave., Detroit, Mich.
325 East Houston St., New York City.
1637 Jefferson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
411 William St., Buffalo, N. Y.
19 Second St., Geneseo, N. Y.
Orchard Park, N. Y.
89 Bush St., Buffalo, N. Y.
168 Exchange St., Buffalo, N. Y.
236 Fulton St., Jamaica, N. Y.
105 Washington St., New York City.
168 Dante PL, Buffalo, N. Y.
739 South St., Utica, N. Y.
365 Bristol St., Buffalo, N. Y.
104 Jackson St., Batavia, N. Y.
2023 W. Erie St., Chicago, 111.
148 Front St., Binghamton, N. Y.
91 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
53 Main St., Oneonta, N. Y.
436 So. Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
L S. R R Restaurant, Buffalo. N Y.
555 Pacific St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
85 Wilson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
51 Chippewa St, Buffalo, N. Y.
55 Winspear Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
217 Eaton St., Lackawanna, N. Y.
329 E. 5th St., New York City.
40 Newell Ave., Lancaster, N. Y.
65 Moeller Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
548 Swan St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Vestal, N. Y.
274 Lovejoy St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Orchard Park, N. Y.
15 Gate St, Sloan, N. Y.
64
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Name Rank
Huether, Joseph A. Wagoner
Hunt, Richard R. Pvt lcl
Hutchinson, Robert E. Wagoner
James, Hobart R. Wagoner
Jankowski, Frank Pvt lcl
Japhet, Willard Pvt
Johnson, Albert W. Bugler
Kazmierczak, Thomas J. Pvt
Kearns, Martin R. Pvt
Klob, John F., Jr. Pvt
Kondzielski, Stanley Pvt
Koster, Henry G. Cpl
LaFrance, Henry J. Cpl
Lawson, Walter Pvt
Leakey, Earl K. Pvt
Liehr, Joseph H. Wagoner
Link, Charles F. Bugler
Lipczynski, Walter Pvt lcl
Logan, Patrick L. Pvt
Lucas, Matthew A. Pvt
Ludwig, Hamilton Pvt
Lumsden, Milton G. Cpl
Majewski, Casimer Pvt lcl
Marino, Pasquale Saddler
Maroney, James F. Pvt
Maximovitch, Stephen Pvt
McGowan, Daniel P. Pvt
McGrory, Hugh M. Pvt
McKechnie, James A. Pvt
McLain, William E. Pvt
McMahon, Paul J. Cpl
Michel, Edward Pvt lcl
Milbrand, Joseph Cook
Milligan, Franklin C. Pvt lcl
Mioduszewski, Anthony Pvt lcl
Mohre, Robert F. Pvt
Mosier, Roy S. Pvt lcl
Mulkern, John B. Set
Mumm, John Cook
Murphy, Eugene Pvt
Myslabowski, Walter Pvt lcl
Niedzylski, Jan Pvt
Niemiec, Anthony Pvt lcl
O'Connor, Martin J. Pvt
Omelanchuk, Tony Pvt lcl
Ostrovehuk, John Pvt
Otkowski, John Pvt lcl
Pley, Maikel Chf Mech
Poswiatowski, John Cpl
Quinn, Frank Wagoner
Quinn, James Wagoner
Raczka, Josef "Pvt lcl
Ranaldo. Luigi Pvt
Rasp, Charles Wagoner
Ray, Otto D. Pvt
Rees, Edward D. Wagoner
Ricigliano, Vito Pvt
Rinker, Harold c<jt
Rockefeller. John M., Tr. Wagoner
Ruddy, Walter Sgt
Rung, Howard W. ""-n Sgt
Rusfo, Joseph Pvt
Home Address
325 E. 79th St., New York City.
32 Bolton PL, Buffalo, N. Y.
72 Tyler St., Depew, N, Y.
Cherry Creek, N. Y.
100 Babcock St., Buffalo, N. Y.
R. F. D. 4, Hunts Corners, N. Y.
283 Franklin St, Buffalo, N. Y.
120 Grimes St., Buffalo, N. Y.
153 Prospect Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
325 Epsilon PL, Glendale, L. I.
434 Bucknor St., Dunkirk, N. Y.
515 W. 166th St., New York City.
North Chelmsford, Mass.
16 Cedar Ave., Jamestown, N. Y:
Shortsville, N. Y.
Garden St., Sag Harbor, L. I.
Kensington Av., Williamsville, N. Y.
183 Lovejoy St., Buffalo, N. Y.
16 So. 6th St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
444 Walnut St., Yonkers, N. Y.
502 Hickory St., Buffalo, N. Y.
50 N. 10th Ave., Mt. Vernon, N. Y.
111 Carolina St., Albion, N. Y.
87 7th St., Buffalo, N. Y.
137 Beach St., Yonkers, N. Y.
206 W. 23rd St., New York City.
777 McDonough St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
282 Front Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
414 Perkinson St., Monongahela, Pa.
3 Milwaukee St., Malone, N. Y.
270 Dewey Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
148 Howard St., Buffalo, N. Y.
203 Schoele Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
112 Purdy St., Buffalo, N. Y.
190 Lovejov St., Buffalo, N. Y.
19 N. 51st St., Corona, L. I., N. Y.
Leroy. N. Y.
888 W. Ferrv St., Buffalo, N. Y.
155 Maple St., Buffalo, N. Y.
324 E. 35th St., New York City.
75 Van Renselaer St.. Buffalo, N. Y.
426 Curtiss St., Buffalo, N. Y.
632 Amherst St., Buffalo, N. Y.
654 N. Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
174 Austin St., Buffalo, N. Y.
89 Bush St., Buffalo, N. Y.
191 Lombard St., Buffalo, N. Y.
89 Bush St., Buffalo, N. Y.
145 Mills St., Buffalo, N. Y.
98 Park Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Great Neck, L. I., N. Y.
183 Lovejoy St., Buffalo, N. Y.
2^1 Mvrtle Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
826 Clinton St.. Buffalo, N. Y.
234 Oak St., Binghamton. N. Y.
1411 Nelson St., Utica. N. Y.
16 Evans St., Buffalo, N. Y.
699 Northumberland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Box 62, St. Johnsville, N. Y.
312 Northland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
1285 West Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
95 Centre Park, Rochester, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
65
Name Rank
Saurini, Antonio E. Pvt
Scanlon, Patrick Pvt
Schaefer, Andrew Pvt lcl
Scott, Erie L. Pvt
Senay, Joseph J. Pvt
Shields, William J. Cpl
Siegrist, Charles A. Pvt lcl
Sienzan, Walter Pvt lcl
Simone, Benedetto Pvt lcl
Smith, Clarence L. Pvt lcl
Smith, John F. Pvt
Smith, Norman Sgt
Smith, Raymond A. H. Pvt
Spano, James Pvt
Stachowiak, Leo Cpl
Stasio, Michael Cpl
Stodolski, Walter Pvt lcl
Stocker, Morgan W. Cpl
Strainline, George F. Pvt
Swander, Lee V. Pvt
Szaroletta, Anthony J. Pvt
Tingler, William E. Sgt
Todorakis, John Pvt lcl
Tomasik, Vincent Pvt
Trimble, Harold Pvt
Troup, Charles E. Cook
Volkenner, Charles Pvt
Yolpe, Charles Pvt lcl
Vullo, Frank P. Pvt
Wadsworth, Leo J. Bugler
Walczak, Walter Pvt
Walters, Rudolph J. Mech
Ward, John Pvt
Waterworth, Edwin S. M. Sgt
Wilcox, John W. Pvt lcl
Wilkoz, Frank Pvt lcl
Winkowski, Toseph Pvt
Wochna. William W. Pvt
Wood, Joseph Cpl
Woodley, Walter G. Pvt
Wratten, Frederick Cpl
Wright, Charles C. Cpl
Wright, Clifford J. Pvt lcl
Wright, Walter W. Mech
Zamernzenski, Stanislaw Pvt lcl
Zdrojewski, Stanley M. Pvt
Ziarkowski, John E. Pvt
Zoeller, Robert E. Pvt lcl
Zuber, Raymond T. Pvt lcl
Zulawski, Walter J. Pvt
Home Address
165 Wilder St., Rochester, N. Y.
341 Perrv St., Buffalo, X. Y.
368 Fougeron St., Buffalo, X. Y.
Vestal, N. Y.
12 Centre St., Yonkers, X. Y.
R. F. D. No. 5, Malone, N. Y.
305 Johnson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
68 Peck St., Buffalo, N. Y.
361 Myrtle Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Hamburg, N. Y.
139 High St., Yonkers, X. Y.
24 Poplar St., Buffalo, X. Y.
208 Zimmerman St., Xorth Tonawanda,
X. Y.
204 Trenton Ave., Buffalo, X. Y.
36 Reed St., Buffalo, N. Y.
244 Mvrtle Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
40 Bridgman St., Buffalo, X. Y.
396 4th St., Brooklvn, X. Y.
146 Waverlv St., Yonkers, X. Y.
R. F. D. 4,'Shelbv, Mich.
128 Plavter St., Buffalo, N. Y.
58 Northland Ave., Buffalo, X. Y.
146 X. Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
2 Ridge Road, Lackawanna, X. Y.
120 Middleton St., Brooklyn, X. Y.
Fort Erie, Ont., Canada.
24 Johnson St., Buffalo, X. Y.
120 Dante PL, Buffalo, X. Y.
306 Trenton Ave., Buffalo, X. Y.
Glenn Park, Xew York City.
259 Loepere St.. Buffalo, X. Y.
Shortsville, N. Y.
1039 Simpson St., New York City.
490 Grant St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Bliss, N. Y.
251 Peoria St., Depew, N. Y.
993 Smith St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1481 Niagara St., Buffalo, N. Y.
36 Walnut St., Lowell, Mass.
Warsaw, N. Y.
57 Gennesee St., Attica, N. Y.
Casar, X. C.
R. F. D. 1, Windsor, N. Y.
156 Prospect Ave., Buffalo, X. Y.
44 Mackinaw St., Buffalo, X. Y.
138 Grote St., Buffalo, X. Y.
67 St. Louis St., Buffalo, X. Y.
17 W. 35th St., Bavonne. X. J.
272 Florida St.. Buffalo, X. Y.
52 Townsend St., Buffalo, X. Y.
Battery "C
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BATTERY "C" ON THE FRONT.
This little skeleton history covers but one. part of our military career —
the real part. It is the only part anyone wants to remember ; the rest was
a nightmare at the worst and monotonous waiting at the best.
Therefore, let all prologues be supplied by our own recollections, and
up goes the historical curtain upon Battery "C" on —
September 4th, 1918. Battery passes through the main gate of Camp
de Souge at 10 :30 p. m. in fine style, everybody riding but the cannoneers,
cooks, mess and supply sergeant, etc., etc., aggregating about 75 per cent,
of the battery. "Join the artillery and ride."
5th. Pulled into Bonneau railhead at 12:30. Our first and only ex-
perience at loading French artillery and horses on French cars. Once was
enough. Left Bonneau 6:40. At breakfast our first introduction to
canned goldfish.
6th. En route. Sick horse falls down, carries three others with him ;
beaucoup broken legs and finally four dead horses left at Orleans for the
butchers to handle. Doc Campbell, the Tennessee vet., remained in ob-
servation in officers' car until it was too late to save the horses. This
aroused the ire of Major Verbeck, who seems to have given Doc a help-
ful talking to. Later Doc said : "Major Verbeck seems to hold me respon-
sible for the death of those horses; in fact, he told me so, but he was so
nice about it that I couldn't take offense."
7th. Bar-le-Duc about 10:30. About 5 km. bevond we side-tracked
70 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
at Longeville, a little station with an unloading platform. Unloading
time 1 hr. 55 min. Pulled up into a steep valley and camped. Pulling in
here we had our first and last broken wheel, when a fourgon, with
Happy Eld ridge on the box, smashed a back wheel and tipped over, throw-
ing Happy for an aeroplane glide on a tender part of his anatomy. Here
also our first and last machine-gun barrage. First aeroplane guard. Rub-
ber boots of no use for months, salvaged just on edge of the mud zone.
8th. Everyone swims in Longeville canal. During afternoon moving
orders come. Battery is split up into firing battery and combat train, and
here begin the diverging histories of the "position" and "echelon."
Position. Guns were motorized, temporarily, at least. They were or-
dered to move to the front by truck with the following personnel : 1 ser-
geant, 1 corporal, 9 cannoneers and 1 mechanic. Capt. Goodyear and
Lieut. Robins went up ahead by auto on reconnaissance. "Three days'
rations" supposed to be issued ; in the rush this turned out to consist of
two cans of corned willy and a loaf of bread for whole outfit.
Guns pulled out about 1 a. m. after all kinds of trouble tying the guns
to the trucks. Turns taken at tending the brake, which was an arduous
job, especially as we hadn't learned to use cushions yet. Beaucoup stops
and delays, beaucoup rain. We seemed lost most of the time, but maybe
we weren't.
Echelon. The guns having pulled out with all the battery officers, left
the responsibility of forty-mile night march to the front with combat train
on First Sergt. Amrose's shoulders. All he got was a staff map with
route marked in pencil. This was turned over to special detail to ride
ahead with and leave markers. Trouble begins immediately. Chariot
slumps into a hole. "E" Battery pulls across our only exit to the main
road and halts for some time. Then a rising wheel driver hits a tree and
a bridge pier. Night was spent on the road and nothing happened save
the breaking of three poles and everybody soaking wet from the deluge
of rain.
9th. Position. No rest all morning, just occasional halts en route when
some rope or chain broke. Finally halted on the National Highway near
Nixeville to await nightfall. Here camouflage nets and material issued,
some of the precious bread and corned william eaten, guns overhauled and
camouflaged, and a little sleep gotten. 6 :30 pulled out again. Just be-
yond Nixeville, Ruper's gun broke loose on a steep hill and smashed into
the truck behind, putting it out of action. At Fromereville picked up a
French guide and Lieut. Robins. 9:15 pulled out of Fromereville on the
last seven kilometre hitch. Gale of rain. Gasoline runs out on one of the
trucks and another truck takes its place. Last rations are left behind on
the stranded truck. Still another truck breaks steering knuckle, causing
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 71
A-l traffic jam. Three sections finally get up to assigned position before
dawn.
Echelon. During the early morning we slowly crept up on the combat
trains preceding us and finally caught up with them. About 9 :30 a. m. we
arrived at Issoncourt and stopped to rest both animals and men. Here
we had a meal and slept until 4 :00 p. m. Lieut. M. M. Marcus was here
placed in charge of the train by Major Eller. After mess the men were
given a lecture by Lieut. Marcus, and we again took to the road at
5 :30 p. m.
10. Position. At daylight three guns were under camouflage at the
position, the fourth three kilometres down the road. The men got a little
sleep during the day. Many woke up in the afternoon with the "hives."
They kept them until we finally got rid of them at Louvigne. Nothing
to eat or drink but some Goodyear-Newman bouillon cubes. Some gas
property came in — gloves, etc. It never did any good except to fill wagons
and trucks. We got our first views of German aeroplanes and French
archies. Truck with rations reported to be on the way. We experience
our first light shortage, all candles having given out.
Echelon. Followed various roads until about 9:00 p. m., when the col-
umn was definitely lost. Consultation by officers. Course changed for
about an hour, then another consultation. After being lost three times
during the night, we were finally directed to the right road and proceeded
toward Nixeville.
11th. Position. Some horses came up early from the rear and got
the second section gun into position. Lieut. Hanson and Sergt. Gilbert
went back to the echelon with them. No sign of ration truck. Later
word came that it got lost at Fort de Marre and was back at Germonville.
In desperation, foraging party sent back to Verdun under Corp. Herbert
and returns in afternoon with beaucoup eggs, sardines and candles. Also
some men salvaged a can of bacon and a little coffee.
Echelon. 8:00 a. m., arrived at Nixeville in very fine slough of affec-
tionate mud. As soon as the horses were cared for and the men rested a
bit, the harness was cleaned. With no cleaning material but dirty water
the results can readily be guessed at. Lieut. Marcus, while cleaning a
supposedly empty pistol, pulled the trigger. Result was a hole through
the roof of the billet and a lieutenant badly scared with his own gun-play.
Left at 6 :30 p. m. for Baleycourt. Beaucoup trouble, beaucoup stuck
wagons. Lieut. Marcus, complete with sou'wester, oilskins and rubber
boots, heaved desperately on a stuck fourgon wheel for some time without
success, when he happened to look into the wagon. There were thirteen
forms asleep therein.
12th. Position. Preliminary data for fire showed battery to have to
72 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
cover a new sector. Co picks and shovels borrowed from French (we had
none) and casemates remade.
Wagonload of rations arrives at last, along with long-awaited truck.
Reich elected cook from the cannoneers, and the battery had a meal for
the first time in four days. Two buglers and some special detail men came
up to complete the happy family.
Firing orders came in during the evening, which showed that some-
thing was really up. We became acquainted with those pests known as
"anti-lueurs" among the French.
Echelon. Arrived Baleycourt woods 4:00 a. m. Lieut. Marcus retires
utterly exhausted, leaving five wagons stuck in the mud. Lieut. Marcus
revived quickly in the morning when Major Kennedy found him being
served breakfast in bed. As usual, we had to change billets after getting
well settled.
Lieuts. Smoot and Litehiser (the latter complete with trunk locker,
Lowney's chocolates and a campaign hat) blew in from Is-sur-Tille and
assigned to battery. Harris commences to run the buckboard express.
13th. Position. Hour 1 a.m. All guns fired with little break for
rest of night and all morning. Fastest fire was two rounds per gun per
minute — not easy for hour at a time. Two guns slipped hopelessly and
almost carried away dugout walls beside them. Hard work got them
back into place, and there they were blocked, giving fine service thereafter.
Coffee for breakfast, two guns at a time. The morning was full of
sweeping fire, ten hand-wheel turns every three rounds. It was gotten
off without any loss of speed. The double zero charges ripped everything
to pieces, including a breech cover, some slickers and a casemate roof.
At 11, when it was all over, we learned we had helped in the First
Army's first great attack — the St. Mihiel battle. Also we had got off our
first fire on the front with success.
Rations came up without delay to-day by the use of the surrey, drawn
by Harris' pets.
Echelon. Lieut. Marcus relieved and sent back to his battery. Lieut.
Hanson took charge for good.
14th. Position. News through French papers of St. Mihiel drive.
Tobacco all out — everybody desperate. Our introduction to C. P. O. gas
gun drill with French looking on and laughing. Shell carrying to replen-
ish our supply began in earnest, especially to second platoon, 400 metres
up the hill. Prarie took it too seriously and fainted on the way up with
100-pounder. Instruction of every cannoneer on laying of guns begun.
Capt. Goodyear (after explaining all about C. P. O.'s, etc., and that
guns were laid on them at all times when idle). "Deuschle, what are
these guns laid on?" Deuschle (confidently). "On the O. P., sir.''
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 73
First reconnaissance by Capt. Goodyear, Lieut. Robins and special de-
tail men from Belle Epine Fort. It was the first view of Germany and
the trenches by members of the battery.
Echelon. Intensive grooming, feeding and grazing schedule went into
effect to-day. Everything eats and rests but the men.
15th. Position. Beaucoup shell carrying. Ammunition rearranged.
Even the ■ special detail carried shells. Corp. Morton, our redoubtable
munitions N. C. O., gets his system going. Six complete checks of ammu-
nition. O. P. established near Belle Epine and telephone line laid. Two
American balloons brought down by German flyer, who then got away.
The French nearby looked black, but the Americans cheered.
Echelon. Two inspections by the colonel during the forenoon, results
— two enforced "understandings" between the C. O. and Lieut. Hanson.
Trade with Battery "A" — 74 good horses and 35 men for 28 poor horses.
Battery now demobilized. Picket line a vet. hospital.
16th. Position. Battery had first calibration on the front. First
round at 8 :00 a. m. Capt. Goodyear fired the battery. Target, a house
in Brabant. Range 9,000 metres. About ninety rounds fired. Three direct
, hits on the Brabant house. Meyers, a regular cook, arrived at the posi-
tion to take over Reich's job.
Echelon. Evening. A buzzing sound overhead, searchlights and a
terrific explosion. We were being bombed. After the Boche plane had
passed on, Doc Campbell was spied coming out of a dugout with his gas
mask on.
17th. Position. Discipline wave hit battery. Gun drills, daily inspec-
tions, bunk dressed, gas masks looked over, camouflage discipline, wired
paths. Machine gunners have developed a beautiful camouflaged pergola,
where they solemnly stand guard, taking notes on the airplanes passing
overhead.
Pavesio has made a wonderful gasproof by sacrificing some O. D.
blankets and salvaging some lumber.
Daily rat hunts.
Special detail busy at map making, panoramic sketching from O. P.,
and running. Runner for the five kilo hike to Germonville at 3 :30 and
6 :30 a. m. and 5 :00 p. m. regularly, and often at any other hour.
Gun squads working daily to get emplacements in fancy shape.
Echelon. We moved to a new echelon in the village of Baleycourt
during the afternoon, and for once had fairly clean billets. Just got set-
tled when the evening's grazing began. Beaucoup Boche planes in the
skies all day, unhampered.
18th. Position. Our only view of a German dirigible to-day.
19th. Position. Complete gun crew sent back for a rest to the echelon.
74 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
20th. Position. A move forward looks likely. Big reconnaissance
party goes out under Major Verbeck to look over Chattancourt region.
Major Eller relieved, putting Capt. Goodyear in command of Second
Battalion and Lieut. Briggs in as B. C. Lieut. Robins, with fifteen trucks of
ammunition, and an advance detail consisting of Sergt. Gilbert, Corp.
Munce, six men from machine gun squad and two men from each section
left for Chattancourt about 10.00 p.m., just avoided a lot of shells at the
cross-road and pulled in about midnight. Occupied an old cellar in town.
Echelon. 14" gun put into commission behind us commences to fire.
A large number of Boche planes around trying to get photos. Ammuni-
tion details commence. First detail goes out in charge of buck Private
Lee. First sergeant getting gray hair. Ten men left to graze sixty horses.
All wrong.
21st. Position. Nothing doing at battery. Advance detail got busy
digging emplacements and putting up camouflage. That night a large
amount of ammunition sent up to Chattancourt position by truck. Rein-
forcements for advance detail come up with the trucks. Mort Homme
road begins to jam up every night.
Echelon. Same thing as yesterday. Groom, water, feed and graze
and another ammunition detail. Topper aging fast.
22nd. Position. Corp. Graham becomes advance detail mess sergeant,
with the duty of trying to get up hot food without tools or fuel. Hard
work on gun positions.
Echelon. Plenty of action in rear of billets to-day. Fanchette 3rd and
Midinette 4th, French 15" rifles, arrive there. We commence to pack,
ready for departure. Sergt. Martin begins daily trip to position with ra-
tions, buckboard being now transferred.
23rd. Position. No doubt now of impending big operations. Artil-
lery coming in wholesale. Truckloads of pontoon bridges, supplies, ra-
tions and ammunition going by. Advance detail begins to move ammuni-
tion to positions from dump at Chattancourt, 400 metres. Forty centi-
meter railroad ripped out by truck traffic, so hand carrying only is left.
False alarm that battery is coming up keeps Sergt. Gilbert up all night
at crossroads as guide.
Echelon. Moved from Baleycourt to Bois la Ville at 3:00 p. m. Still
on the road at dark. Plenty of congestion, as entire brigade is trying to
move in at once. Finally get settled at 10 :00 p. m. in filthy barracks. Sup-
posed to squeeze 400 men in a billet capable of holding only 150 men at
the utmost.
24th. Position. Order comes to move battery to Chattancourt. Con-
diment cans, overseas caps, blankets, spare parts stored at old position
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 75
for salvage. Corp. Murchie, spare men, cook and orderlies left behind in
charge of property.
Corp. Newman sent back to old position as guide.
Four guns with a fourgon left old position at 8 :00 p. m., each drawn
by ten Battery "A" horses. Fourgon started late, missed the turn at
Charny, and the whole battery took wrong turn in Chattancourt, and only
got back after loss of valuable time and effort. Then followed the worst
jam we saw at Chattancourt. It seemed as if a thousand trucks were
bogged between the town and Mort Homme. But luck was with us, the
guns all threaded their way through and were quickly put into position.
Echelon. Concert in morning by 315th Infantry Band, and doughboys
got orders to prepare for move. We are the lucky ones to police up the
barracks, which are knee deep with straw and rubbish.
25th. Position. The hardest day of the position's adventures. It may
be summarized as follows : Camouflage nets, trail circulars, trenches, dug-
outs, SHELLS. Every man going at highest speed that tired men can.
Beaucoup raw shoulders and broken gas masks. At end of day camouflage
was secure, circulars and platforms were built, shallow emplacements were
finished, fifty tons of ammunition carried by hand the 400 meters from
Chattancourt to the position.
Aquilino gave out carrying shells, elected himself cook and for over a
week did marvels on no equipment. Corp. Munce, having got over ma-
chine gun barrages at Longeville, and so having nothing much to do,
became assistant with Eckrose as K.P.
11 p.m. First artillery barrage fire heard off to our left. Nice cold
night, nobody sleeps.
Echelon. We are shelled with long range rifles by jerry. Preparations
made in evening for advance next day.
26th. Position. 3.30 first call. Fog, aiming posts moved way in.
5.10 Gas ! (our first on front). Sergt. Busch is gassed, Corp. Herbert takes
charge of section. 5.30 Fire ! 2 rounds per gun per minute with gas masks
on in a fog. Some rounds lost with masks on, but "All clear" given and
losses are caught up. Air screaming with thousands of rounds of all
calibers hustling toward Germany.
Suddenly the long-awaited happens. Hun shells land in position.
Eight duds land behind No. 1 gun. One just misses third section gun
muzzle ; cuts through camouflage, explodes near trail, putting holes in a
rifle, mess kit, two shelter halves, two canteens, trail handspike, Danler,
and Herman. Herman soon patched up, but Danler, our first casualty,
evacuated and has never got back. Another shell almost blows machine
gun squad to kingdom come.
By 7.30, "cease firing" given, then nothing to do but carry shells,
76 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
clean guns, serve coffee to wounded doughboys and watch the German
prisoners go by. Over 700 went by position during day.
Echelon. Arose 3.30 a.m. Made packs ready to move, but did not
leave all day. Salvaged largest part of harness. Went to sleep full
pack as we were not allowed to unroll our packs.
27th. Position. Carry shells and more firing, this time on the east
bank of the Meuse.
Echelon. Batteries A, B, and F, pulled out at 4.00 a.m. Rumors of
C, D, and E, being motorized. Reports come in that advance is going
fine.
28th. Position. First clear day without much to do in a long time.
Everybody washes and shaves. No. 4 gun has some neatly placed shells
land near.
A squad of "C" men goes forward to man a German battery cap-
tured on 26th. Boyack tries to get wound stripe by shooting self acci-
dentally. Fails.
Echelon. Still waiting to leave but nothing doing. Fanchette and
Midinette firing one shell every five minutes on Dun-sur-Meuse. Range
29,200 meters.
29th. Position. We lose two of our best men, Brehm and Ceier.
vSgt. Brehm ordered to Saumur, where he later made good at Officers'
Training School. Mechanic Ceier strained himself and has to go to
hospital for rupture.
Echelon. Horses inspected by Major Veterinary.
30th to October 12th. Position. Not much but routine. After many
freezing nights, blankets finally issued again. Also Widger, our famous
front line cook, finally came up to relieve our amateurs whose best
became monotonous soon. Sgt. Martin comes up every night in a truck
with a fair supply of rations, also several fine dividends of mail, mostly
months old, but the first since Souge. Also Sgt. Sauter gets up supply of
winter underwear, new socks and more shoes, just in time, for most of
the shoes were done, socks were mostly absent, and breeches let in the
breeze.
Lieut. Litehiser ordered up to position.
Florn reports to Battalion Headquarters as Agent. As an Agent
he was a very fine cook.
On the 6th, 7th, and 8th we supported infantry in the capture of
the Consenvoye, Chaume, and Brabant woods, and towns of Consenvoye
and Brabant. Rest was counter-battery and registration. Air service
offers aid but Fokkers say no.
O.P. had been established about 6 kilometers away, to which a line
was laid in spite of energetic machine guns. Target practice with the
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 77
45's. Leonard starts a spy scare, aided by mysterious stuffing of a primer
vent. Baker ripens experience at salvaging.
Infantry has consolidated big gains, putting us out of range and
almost in the S.O.S., so we are due to advance.
Echelon. We commence to get heavy winter clothing in quantities.
Men are wondering why they had to salvage the precious rubber boots.
Lieut. Jebb, a Buffalonian, brings down a Boche plane while the
boys watch. A great crowd gathers to see the Boche aviator. Capt.
Keeler protects the prisoner by drawing his pistol on the crowd. Bar-
rack roof collapses under weight of enlisted men using it as a bleachers.
Souvenir hounds on the job.
Horseshoers busy making paper knife souvenirs out of gas tank of
the downed plane.
4th. We hear and see tremendous barrage being laid down by our
forces at 2.00 a.m. No reports arrive.
5th. Scout Horn finds real chocolate and grapes at Nixeville.
Grocer so tickled with advance of Americans that he sells entire winter
supply of chocolate to Horn. Jerry again shelling us. Large pieces of
240 mm. Austrian relay shells fall around. Detail from battery goes to
front with 20 Supply Company wagons trying to succeed where trucks
had failed.
8th. Beaucoup mud and rain. "We get bombed for 4 hours at night.
Railhead at Baleycourt principal objective. Lieut. Kelly's helmet never
gets cold these days.
9th. Jerry came over and French archies spent busy afternoon trying
to down him when allied plane gives him a chase. Another ammo
detail to the front.
10th. Another air-raid this evening. Plenty of powerful searchlights
sweeping the skies. We were paid this afternoon.
11th. Jerry stockade established at Fort Regret. Beaucoup inmates
and the boys get Beaucoup souvenirs.
12th. Inspected by Capt. Goodyear. We get fourteen horses.
13th. Position. Order comes to be ready to go. 2.00 p.m. guns
pulled out and limbered. 3.00 p.m. Lieut. Robbins, Sgt. Gilbert, Corps.
Lester and Best, and Lane leave ahead to look over new position. They
get to Gercourt by hoofing and bumming truck rides (shades of the
mounted service). New position found to be mass of new shell holes
in a swamp, with no dugouts near. Pup-tent and gas-mask night.
Beaucoup H. E., beaucoup phosgene. Gilbert goes back at dark to guide
battery up, but never meets battery which took another route on its own
hook.
• Horses (Battery "A") come up just after dark, but truck jam delays
78 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
start till 10.00 p.m. Route is via the Chattancourt-Cumieres dirt (mud)
road and then by the camouflage boulevard to Forges. Here the trouble
begins.
Echelon. Running short of hay and oats. Five squares a day for
horses interrupted, to the joy of the drivers.
14th. Position. Midnight tolls from the Forges church bell just as all
four guns stick. Then all guns stick again at Raffincourt — four kilo-
meters in six hours. Breakfast from hospitable Battery "B" kitchen.
Horses, having proved themselves superfluous, started back to echelon,
then recalled. Unhitch, then water, feed. Then "C," "D," and "E" go
ahead as battalion under Major Kennedy. At Bethincourt, 24 horses
hitched to a gun. Terrible hill road negotiated by one section safely. All
rest of battalion held up by shell-fire on the exposed downslope. Finally
all guns get over in turn, and get to position beyond Gercourt.
Afternoon spent in usual stunts laying, camouflage, shell-carrying.
Rains cats and dogs. Position 350 meters through deep mud from am-
munition dump on the main road. Everybody up all night, shell carrying
until 4.00 a.m., then getting guns ready for firing.
15th. Position. X hour 7.30 a.m., and we haven't enough shells.
Two guns fire while everybody else carries shells. One gun plows back
into shell hole until unfireable. Other gun has to execute fire alone, for
a while at three rounds per minute. At the end of the four hours' firing
we just pulled through with the required expenditure, chief mechanic
double-timing 200 yards through the mud with the last shell.
Rest of clay spent as usual, carrying shells and cleaning guns. Beau-
coup rust after the rainy hike. Carrot stew for mess.
Echelon. We get our Christmas package coupons. The regiment
gets 107 new horses during evening, making "C" mobile again.
16th. Position. Another downpour. No protection other than pup-
tents. Battery telephone central and P.C. constructed out of two shelter
halves and five yards of tar paper, brought in by Corp. Lester from an
O.P. reconnaisance under the Major.
Corp. Best sustains a mean shell wound and is evacuated with Sgt.
Reeve of "D." Carrot stew for mess.
Echelon. We draw 44 horses.
17th. Position. Rain, cold, firing. Our position is a swamp, every-
body sleeping ( ?) in pools of water. Executive's shelter especially wet.
Sgt. Burton found a comfortable spot, but was awakened rudely and beat
a hasty retreat when a 155 rifle fired directly over his chosen bunk.
Carrot stew for mess.
18th. Position. Good day at last. Blankets out, mud scraped off
everything from faces to plane tables, drying, shaving, washing. No. 1
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 79
gun calibrated. A feather in the battery's hat, for "C's" calibration
showed dry powder. Our powder boxes were probably the only dry
articles in the position. Carrot stew for mess.
Echelon. General order comes in prohibiting the taking of lumber by
Americans. No mention made of the French depredations.
19th. Position. Col. Smith and Lieut. Berteaux made an inspection,
ordered gun-pits dug, but made no hints as how to drain them in the
swamp that we occupied. Major Kennedy also inspected, and ordered
cannoneers' shelters and circulars. Everybody drops shells and crocus
cloth and gets busy with pick and shovel. Lieut. Litehiser: "Leonard,
get that pick swinging faster." Leonard: "I can't do it, sir; not on
carrot stew."
We fired off and on all night. One order was a mouthful — Base
deflection left 806. It took an hour to shift the trail which then was
clean out of new trail circular and straddling new cannoneers' trench.
Good-bye, trench !
Executive (to Corp. Herbert, a gunner of twelve months' standing
and the best in the regiment, who has carried O. A.'s all day and fired
O. A.'s all night) "Are you sure you are firing O. A. shell?"
Later. Executive Officer returns to check up Corp. Herbert's laying.
Chief of section: "You had better keep away from the Corporal, sir;
he's very nervous to-night."
Echelon. Message received at 3.30 p.m. asking how many available
pairs could be put under harness. Mounted inspection in afternoon.
Orders come in at 10.00 p.m. to proceed to La Claire with all available
horses. "C" Battery pulls out with 78 draft and 18 single mounts at
1.30 a.m.
20th. Position. Battery ordered to get ready to move. Property
carried out to main road, including Sgt. Burton's famous gas property.
Last-minute firing order handled without any hitch. 10.00 p.m. horses
come up. They belong to "C," which has been made mobile again by
the arrival of 100 French plugs. Packs ordered rolled, so of course it
rains harder than ever.
Echelon. Pulled out of La Claire 4.30 p.m., arrived at position 9.30.
Very muddy and raining heavily making the roads all but impassable.
21st. Position. Little trouble getting the guns out at 1.00 a.m., when
moving orders come, because mud too wet to be sticky. New horses
work fine until Bethincourt. Here three guns take wrong road, and we
get them into shell holes trying to turn them around, in ex-No Man's
Land. Then the horses quit cold, but two doctors take charge and get us
out in good time. (They should be Colonels in the artillery.) Then
they gave us all hot chocolate. Nearby were some kitchens of our
80 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Wadsworth friends, the 1st Pioneers, where everybody gets a hand-
out.
Stop between Bethincourt and Esnes, 12 — 3 p.m. Stop beyond Esnes
6 — 10 p.m. Unhitch, water, feed, tie to trees. Another handout from
the 45th Pioneers.
Our new horses quit cold again on the big hill beyond Bethelainville,
so cannoneers pull one gun and fourteen horses up at a time.
22nd. Echelon finally reached about 8.00 a.m. Everybody very
spry (?). Horses, guns, harness cleaned without any cleaning material.
Order to move to another echelon expected ; luckily it never came. We
seem to be going to get a few days rest.
23rd. Lieut. Schutt leaves for 2nd Aviation Training Center. His
loss felt badly, for he had made good with both officers and men. Clean-
ing done over again. Some equipment issued including overseas caps
which are great after seven weeks of helmets. We begin to look clean
again.
24th. Delegation of lousy men marches full pack to Glorieux for a
bath, finds none there, and marches back again. Nice warm day. Were
the cooties biting when they got back? For the stay-at-homes a bath
house is built — equipment one bucket.
25th. More "cleaning," without saddle soap or oil.
26th. Mounted inspection, not very brilliant showing. Of course
one man has his rifle in the boot when dismounted.
27th. Caissons turned in — no horses to pull them. Range finder
almost salvaged. Detail that manned German guns reports back. Four-
teen replacements from Camp Jackson assigned to the battery, and in
no time are doing standing gun drill and grooming horses while the old
timers take a bath.
Mess Sergeant Martin leaves for Saumur Artillery School and 1st
Cook Sears succeeds him.
28th. We are transferred to the 79th Division from the 33rd, the
latter having gone to the St. Mihiel sector. Lieut. Queen attached to
battery as we are packing up under orders to move into position. Bat-
tery formed at 3.00, with a real column of 12 vehicles this time. We
hiked clear to Thierville without trouble except one dropped shoe re-
placed on the road, and the temporary loss of combat train, thanks to the
M.P.'s. At Thierville some brilliant guy turned the rolling kitchen onto
the Douaumont road. Lee sent after them on bicycle and covers most
of Meuse sector before returning to organization the next day.
After dark, battalion halted to eat, and everybody gets fed but the
special detail (just imagine!). Our new outfit, the 79th, shuffled by us
in the dark, bound for the trenches. A little later we went by our first
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 81
position, now silent and unoccupied, and crossed the Meuse bridge in a
hail of shells, just "over."
For a wonder it was a clear night. We had no trouble at all until
arrival at new position. At Yacherauville the whole column except
the guns and a fourgon, turned off for new home of waterers, groomers
and feeders.
29th. Position. New position reached about midnight. Found big
hole and stretch of sticky up-grade and mud between road and position.
This was signal for horses to quit as usual. All guns stuck badly on way
in, but cannoneers executed usual heaving heroics in time to have bat-
tery in before daylight. Here we found an innovation — beaucoup am-
munition already in the emplacements. Loud cheers. Also found the
position to be a filthy hole and playground for doughboys out on reserve-
rest duty. Regular landmark on aerial photo.
Echelon. Stopped on road for quite a long while after firing battery
pulled away. Road running to echelon so muddy that wagons had to be
unloaded so as to proceed through. Supply Sgt. and three privates left
at crossroad on guard.
30th. Position. Most of day spent on obstinate camouflage nets.
Corp. Morton and Lieut. Litehiser work up new ammunition scheme
based on the extra squad brought along with us. Regimental P.C. is
located fifty yards from us. Peace seems very far away. Battery "D"
rolling kitchen ordered to feed the Battalion. Everybody gets to know
kindly doughboy cooks just behind us.
We got on intimate terms with the intermittent volleys and the well
known voice of the executive : "Load." "Report when ready to fire."
"R-e-a-d-y !" "Ba-a-tt-er-y F-I-R-E !" Whang !
Echelon. Finally established in the Meuse Valley at Vacherauville
on canal banks. The men begin to salvage elephant iron and sandbags
and commence the construction of dugouts. 1st and Supply Sergeants
are fortunate and find two large dugouts on the crest of the hill.
31st. Position. Lieut. Merwin requests that upper two guns only
be used at night. His dugout is falling to pieces.
Echelon. Calls run a little later because of the winter darkness. "C"
and "D" work in co-operation on the picket lines. Another combination
is Dizzy Compton and Gumshoe Lee on mail delivery. Brzezinski finds
a winter cap and 7 suits of French underwear. Chocolate obtainable
at 50c. a bar.
November 1st — 3rd. Position. Fairly easy time. One balloon-
observed calibration fire which took all afternoon, used up all of our best
powder, and go no results. One sample report was, "direction good,
range good."
82 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Echelon. Nov. 1st. 3 Corporals and 11 men depart for motor school.
We construct splinter proof parapets along the picket lines.
Nov. 2nd. Meals excellent. Beaucoup hot-cakes. We are feeding
the battalion echelon. Joslin makes a 75 cake iron and is. rewarded with
a two foot diameter cake.
Nov. 3rd. Order comes in to prepare to move one platoon of the
battery at 2.30 p.m. Order cancelled at 3.30 p.m. Another order issued
for move of entire battery.
4th. Position. Battery "C" ordered to prepare to move to Ravin de
Boussieres, a ravine running off Death Valley and about two miles ahead
Advance detail sent up ahead to make a road into position. Telephone
line laid to new position. Detail reports beaucoup shells and gas.
Echelon. Echelon ready to move. Boche planes bring down balloon
near us and escape. Air raid in evening. No damage done. Raid cen-
tered on Meuse bridge.
5th. Position. Detail working on new position reports progress small
because of continuous shelling. Pleasant prospect. Lieut. Briggs goes
back to inspect echelon. Comes back with teams to pull one platoon to
new position. At Samogneux they are held up by gas concentration and
go back.
Horses return late evening. No. 1 and No. 3 guns pulled out and
hauled the four miles around by Samogneux and up Death Valley. The
last 350 meters up the ravine are a terror. No road or track, mud a foot
deep, shellholes only partly filled in and repaired. As usual cannoneers
pick guns up and get them in somehow in spite of the horses. Halfway
up a flock of gas shells burst right by the guns. Drivers forget how to
put masks on horses, but plugs survive anyhow. Then hail of shrapnel
bursts near wagons on the main road. No one hurt but wagons unloaded
at double time, believe us. Lieut. Briggs returns to old position leaving
Lieut. Robins in charge.
Echelon. Big open air Y. M. C. A. concert given for the entire
valley. All men allowed to attend.
6th. Position. Guns not finally coaxed into position until 10.00 a.m.
Smart time then made ; ready to fire at noon. Baggage and shells hauled
all afternoon on improvised Decauville railroad left by former occupants.
Telephone net laid out. Central and P.C. are very deep German dugouts,
also very damp and very lousy and very ratty.
Second platoon pulled up with same difficulties during evening. Last
bit even worse from rain during the day. Horses give the usual negative
help.
Echelon. We inspect a large dud which had been sent over the
previous night.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
83
7th. Position. Fire by first platoon. Second platoon gets into
position. O.P. reconnoitered by party from battalion. Fine tales of dead
bodies come back.
Echelon. Horses returned back from position at 7.30. All men feed
and get sleep. Rumors of peace come in.
8th. Position. Heaviest fire in weeks executed during night. Our
only case of gun overheating from continuous fire. Battery "D" drags
its way in, and sandwiches in between our guns. Truly a unique bat-
talion. Rumors come in that German delegates have petitioned for an
armistice.
Echelon. Pvt. Hoechenberger tries a barrage on 104th F. A. with
disastrous results to himself. Capt. Goodyear gets majority. Congrat-
ulations.
9th-10th. Position. No fire. Infantry advancing fast. Do we
move again ?
Echelon. Traverses on picket lines finished. We have a midnight
muster. Special courier carries message to Lieut. Briggs that he is a
father. More rumors regarding the cessation of hostilities.
11th. Position. Respectable barrage ordered from 9.50 to 10.50
9:30 telephoned orders come through to all units: "Cease firing at 11
a.m. After that neither advance nor retire until further orders."
French guns beside us sending shells to Germany at a great rate. Guns
all around open up on last-minute missions. At 11 an abrupt silence
follows the noise. One solitary boom violates the orders, then peace
reigns. Then clean guns. FINI LA GUERRE.
Echelon. Everyone on edge until firing is suspended. Beaucoup
powde" burnt celebrating in the evening.
ROSTER OF BATTERY "C" WHILE ON COMBAT SERVICE.
Name
Goodyear, Bradley
Briggs, Carleton B.
Robins, James H.
Hanson, Frank L.
Litehiser, Robert R.
Schutt, Howard N.
Queen, Meredith
Amrose, Frank
Aquilino, Tom
Aramini. Francesco
Baker, Theodore
Baker, Alfred
Balivo, Antonio
Basquill, Michael
Beck, Arthur
Beckman, Robert
Rank
Home Address
Major
894 Delaware ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
1st Lieut.
68 E. Main St., Lancaster, N. Y.
1st Lieut.
1719 Locust St., Philadelphia, Pa.
2nd Lieut.
574 Oak St., Columbus, Ohio.
2nd Lieut.
Eaton, Ohio.
2nd Lieut.
Coudersport, Pa.
2nd Lieut.
Kerens, Texas.
1st Sgt
Holley, N. Y.
Pvt
332 Trenton Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt
Ill Goethe St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Corp
Earlville, N. Y.
Pvt
6404 So. Morgan St., Chicago, 111,
Pvt
Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt
7359 Kenwood Ave., Chicago, 111.
Pvt lcl
Westfield, N. Y.
Pvt
Adam, N. Y.
84
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Name Rank
Best, Walter ■ Corp
Romberski, Frank Pvt
Erehm, Allen K. Sgt
Brents, William Pvt
E!rzezinski, Stanley Pvt
Burton, Robert Sgt
Bnsch, Charles Pvt-
Butkowski, Stanley Pvt
Boyack, Adolph Pvt
Carr, Thomas Pvt
Ceier, Frank Mech
Cerkiewicz, Stanley Pvt
Coe, James I. Pvt lcl
Cobb, William Pvt lcl
Cooper, Joseph Pvt
Cothard, Wilbur Bugler
Crann, Patrick Corp
Ciiswell, Claude Pvt
Crozier, Ira W. Corp
Czechowski, Leo Pvt
Czuba, Josenh Pvt lcl
Daly, Squire Wagoner
Danler, James Pvt
Debole, Joseph Pvt lcl
Dembkowski, Waclaw Pvt
Deuschle, Louis Pvt
Domica, Edward Pvt
Dominiak, Peter Pvt
Downing, James Pvt
Drajem, Edmund Pvt
Duda, Peter Sgt
Du Pont, George Pvt
Ecker, Erie Corp
Eckrose, Charles Pvt lcl
Eldrige, Harry Cook
Emery, William Pvt lcl
Enegren, Eric Pvt lcl
Erickson, Erwin G. Corp
Erickson, James F. Pvt
Fairfield, Sumner Pvt
Ferenac, John Pvt
Fillipone, Giovanni Mech
Fitzgerald, Thomas Pvt
Fitzsimmons, Wm. Corp
Flickinger, William Pvt
Funk, West Pvt
Gannon, Howard Pvt lcl
Gal-ante, Russell Pvt
Geiger, Robert Pvt
Gershon, Mitchell Pvt
Gilbert, William Sgt
Glowacki, John Corp
Glowicki, Leo Pvt lcl
Goliembiski, Sig. Pvt
Gorino, Joseph Pvt
Grady, Raymond Pvt
Graham, John Corp
Grelewicz, John Corp
Grembowitcb. Waclaw Corp
Cunlack, William Corp
Hafner, William Pvt lcl
"Halas, Alexander Pvt lcl
Home Address
Silver Creek, N. Y.
137 Lathrop St., Buffalo, N. Y.
389 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
260 Ingham Ave., Lackawanna, N. Y.
347 52nd St., Brooklyn. N. Y.
21 Cherry St., Buffalo, N. Y.
729 Grant St., Buffalo, N. Y.
433 Winslow Ave., Buffalo, X. Y.
769 Broadwav, Albany, N. Y.
135 Loepere St., Buffalo. N. Y.
317 Walden Ave., Buffalo, X. Y.
443 Forest Ave., Buffalo, X. Y.
201 Tupper St., Buffalo. X. Y.
319 Cottom St., Millvale, Pa.
185 French St., Buffalo, N. Y.
623 West Ave.. Buffalo, X. Y.
1060 John St., Cincinnati, Ohio.
400 W. 151st St., Xew York City.
85 Swinbourne St., Buffalo, X. Y.
455 Wrigham Ave., Lackawanna, N. Y.
1137 Hertel Ave., Buffalo. X. Y.
364 Longnecker St., Buffalo, X. Y.
136 Liberty St., Batavia, X. Y.
572 Amherst St., Buffalo, X. Y. .
566 Adams St., Buffalo, X. Y.
526 E. 88th St.. Xew York City.
49 Deschler St., Buffalo, X. Y.
141 Madison Ave., Xew York City.
40 Loepere St.. Buffalo, X. Y.
127 Germaine St., Buffalo, X. Y.
113 Arbutus Ave., Manistique, Mich.
La Salle, X. Y.
130 E. Birch St., Ironwood, Mich.
2009 Bailey Ave., Buffalo, X. Y.
Cedar River, Mich.
Ontonegen, Mich.
Ironwood, Mich.
4925 W. Van Bueren St., Chicago, 111.
St. Clair, Mich.
Phillips, Wis.
121 So. Division St., Buffalo, X. Y.
Cygnet, Ohio.
500 Fanney St., Escanaba, Mich.
Sears, Midi.
249 Swan St., Buffalo, X. Y.
100 Krettner St., Buffalo, X. Y.
North Collins, X. Y.
221 Palisade Ave., Union Hill. X. J.
138 Hewes St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
306 Dewitt St., Buffalo, X. Y.
175 Goodyear Ave.. Buffalo. X. Y.
133 Columbus Ave., Sloan, XT. Y.
80 Gladstone St., Buffalo, X. Y.
Buffalo, X. Y.
3106 Madison St., Chicago, 111.
894 Caldwell Ave., New York City.
130 Loepere St., Buffalo, v. Y.
130 Sears Ave., Buffalo. X. Y.
340 So. 3rd St., Brooklyn, X. Y.
Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
310 Lovejoy St., Buffalo, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
85
Name
Rank
Halligan, John
Pvt
Harris, Edward
Corp
Harris, James K.
Cook
Harrison, Homer, J.
Pvt lcl
Henrich, Albert
Pvt
Herbert, George
Sgt
Herman, Ernest G.
Pvt lcl
Hicks, John
Pvt
Horn, David
Pvt
Home, William
Pvt lcl
Jerrell, Alex. J.
Pvt
Johnson, Leonard C.
Pvt
Joslin, John
Cook
Kahle, Dale W.
Ch Mech
Kaleta, Walter
Pvt
R anewski, Sawa J.
Pvt
Keim, Theodore
Pvt lcl
Kemp, Leo V.
Pvt
Kienzle, Thomas
Pvt
Kiernan, Edward
Pvt
Kines, Alexander
Corp
Korte, Frank
Pvt
Kozlowski, Louis
Fvt lcl
Krause, Frank
Pvt
Lane, Leo T.
Corp
Langalatti, Joseph
Pvt
Langlois, Adgutor
Pvt
Larson, Ben
Pvt
La Torre, Thomas
Saddler
Layton, Frank
r-vt
Lee, George
Pvt
Lemon, Merrill
Pvt
Leonard, Harry
Pvt
Lester, Sylvester
Corp
Mack, Anthony
Pvt
Mancuso, Frank
Pvt
Martin, Alexander
Set
Martin, Louis
Pvt lcl
May, William
Ch Mech
\i ( loskev, John
Pvt lcl
McElligott, John
Corp
Mc< ilinchey, Jeremiah
i-vt
Mc( rrath, William
Pvt lcl
McPherson, Arthur
Pvt
Menczynski, Bronislas
Pvt
Meyers, Oscar
Pvt lcl
Me\ers, William
Pvt
Moore, Rov
Pvt
Morrison, Ray E.
Pvt
Morton, Robert L.
Corp
Munce, Gordon F.
Corp
Murchie, Stewart
Corp
JIusielak, John
Pvt lcl
Nawotka, Stanley
Pvt
Xevins, Cornelius
Pvt lcl
Newman, Walter
Corp
Nievinski, John
Pvt lcl
Xormand, Claude
Pvt
Page, Arthur
Pvt
Palermo, Joe
Pvt lcl
Pavesio, Antonio
Mech
Perry, Lloyd
Pvt
Home Address
10 Wells Ave., Middletown, N. Y.
49 Camp St., Buffalo, N. Y.
665 No. Clark St., Chicago, 111.
Franklinville, N. Y.
322 William St., Buffalo, N. Y.
464 Ohio St., Buffalo, N. Y.
110 Adams St., Endicott, N. Y.
227 E. 11th St., New York City.
21 Spruce St., Marcus Hook, Pa.
Stowe Extension, Jamestown, N. Y.
26 Chapman PI., Jamestown, N. Y.
New Bedford, Pa.
82 Reed St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1703 14th St., Chicago, 111.
1244 Jefferson Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
1 Lincoln Ave., Le Roy, N. Y.
239 E. 12th St., Tyrone, Pa.
68 Beech St., lersev Citv, N. J.
215 Devoe St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
1054 Wilshoch St., Cincinnati, Ohio.
2141 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
3024 No. Harding Ave., Chicago, 111.
19 Walkall Ave., Middletown, N. Y.
148 Sackman St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Lowell, Mass.
Leona, Kan.
371 So. 2nd St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
104 E. Oak St., Chicago, 111.
149 Deerfield Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Lynchburg, Ohio.
367 W. Water St., Elmira, N. Y.
18 East Ave., Batavia, N. Y.
60 Woltz Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
2201 First Ave., New York Citv.
41 Mang Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Buffalo. N. Y.
308 Peach St., Buffalo, N. Y.
426 W. 40th St.. New York Citv.
363 Best St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Lowell, Mass.
321 E. 79th St., New York City.
395 Autumn Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
147 Detroit St., Buffalo, N. Y.
209 Fox St., Buffalo. N. Y.
340 Wyoming St., Buffalo, N. Y.
47 Bristol St., Buffalo, N. Y.
273 Fairmont Ave., lersev City, N. J.
21 Biddle Ave., Jersev Citv. N." T.
574 E. 140th St.. New York City.
152 Clark St., Buffalo, N. Y.
76 Warren Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
440 W. 27th St.. New York City.
310 East Utica St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Hatley, Wis.
New Brighton, Staten Island, N. Y.
Louisa, Va.
50 Dante PI., Buffalo, N. Y.
239 W. 30th St., New York City.
1862 Palmwood Ave., Toledo, O.
86
THE WAR BOOK
Name
Persio, Emedio
Phelps, Frank
Phillips, Anthony
Phillips, R. A.
Flewinski, Frank
Pucello, Guiseppe
Praetzel, Fred
Prarie, Frank
Prokopchuk, John
Prusiecki, Stanley
Ramirez, Bernardo
Ranik, Adolf
Reich, Frank
Reif, Peter
Rossovski, Gabriel
Ruper, Albert
Sanders, Gust F.
Sauter, George J.
Savage, John
Schaffner, Adelbert
Schlatt, Paul
Schmidt, Nicholas
Schwartz, Reuben
Sears, Walter
Seymour, Arthur
Shaddy, George
Shostock, John
Smith, Frank
Smith, William
Stam, Sam
Sullivan, John J.
Susek, John
Szalasny, Waclaw
Tadayewski, Phillip
Taylor, George
Thiel, Fred
Trotz, John
Tucker, Manchion
Twoszki, Benjamin
Ubanuka, Uban
Vesper, Howard
Vitovitch, Mike
Vossler, William
Walkinshaw, James
Wannenmacher, Ed.
Watson, Joseph
Widger, Henry E.
Wikarski, John
Wonch, Desmond
Rank Home Address
Pvt lcl Buffalo, N. Y.
Mech Sigel, Pa.
Pvt 77 Clermont Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Pvt 715 Gallagher PI., Springfield, Ohio.
Pvt 178 Griffith St., Sloan, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 33 Peckham St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt Malone, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 2199 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Laredo, Texas.
Pvt lcl 535 Ingham Ave., Lackawanna, N. Y.
Pvt 153 Bissell Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 87 Geary St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 831 Lincoln PI., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Sgt 728 Walden Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Sgt 23 So. Boulder St., Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
Sgt Sup 1000 Clinton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 433 Wicks Ave., Richmond Hill, L. I.
Corp 1279 Michigan Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 535 E. 88th St., New York City.
Corp 104 Soalding St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Sgt 465 Broad St., Tonawanda, N. Y.
Sgt Mess 17 So. Buffalo St., Springfield, N. Y.
Pvt 407 Best St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Corp Leechburg, Pa.
Corp Fleming, Ky.
Pvt 1338 Elm wood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 50 Potter St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cook Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt Niagara St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 496 Smith St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Sgt 166 Miller Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 141 Woltz Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 1814 Whitnev Ave, Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 195 Oak St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Corp 224 Lovejoy St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 146 Pine St., Greenwood, S. C.
Pvt lcl 183 Engert Ave, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 908 Michigan Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Niagara Falls, N. Y.
Sgt 105 Clav St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 244 Plymouth Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 202 Richmond Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt Pine Level, N. C.
Cook 149 Eagle St, Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 59 Ruhland Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Bugler 94 Chenango St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Battery "D"
HATTER Y "D"
Undoubtedly every man in the battery, from the skipper down to the
most insignificant "buck'' private, has a wealth of vivid memories of his
own personal doings and of those of the battery as a whole while in
France. Were these all to be written np, we would have a library all
our own. But owing to the lack of transportation we could not make this
library and get it out of France. So we must be content with a brief
history of the doings of Battery D in the World's War and trust to our
memories and souvenirs for the rest.
Xo one wants to remember the long days of training in the snowy
South nor the days of waiting and imprisonment in Camp Stuart, except
perhaps the two sergeants who received their life sentences there. Capt.
Hamlin was always noted for looking out for his men, and Sergt. White
and Sergt. Crampton found that he lived up to his reputation in arrang-
ing their eleventh hour weddings. Sergt. White first got the idea into
his head about 11 o'clock one Sunday night, woke up the captain, and
as they were leaving camp Sergt. Crampton came running out — in his
undershirt — wildly demanding that he be allowed to get married, too.
The captain, after bribing the J. P. and setting the clock ahead, as it is
90 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
against the rules to sell licenses on Sunday, finally saw to it that the two
couples were legally tied for life.
Our trip over from June 6th until we landed in St. Nazaire, on the
13th, was rather uneventful. The first day out everybody took a good,
look around the ship and then went and lost all their money "rolling the
bones." The captain relieved the monotony of the rest of the trip by
holding hourly schools, where we learned all about the tractors and
trucks we never got. The band played and the boxers boxed, and every
now and then we would "Abandon ship." The weather was always fair.
Lieut. Kingsland and the Topper, however, were not in line when they
issued sea-legs at the dock, consequently they spent the trip in their
bunks trying to die. Before we knew it we landed, a boat-weary and
grimy mob. As usual it rained.
We were here initiated into the ways of the francs and centimes, the
open-faced caps, the wrapped leggins, the vin rouge and the M. P.'s.
We learned something from all of them, especially Sergt. Judd, who
thoughtlessly stayed downtown for one last cognac and lost his job as bean
sergeant. We left for our country home at Gradignan June 26th.
Gradignan will always be the brightest spot in our billeting experi-
ences. There at the Orphanage, with our swimming pool, our cafe
around the corner, our laundry women, and all the time the best summer
weather imaginable, we could not have been more comfortable. Of
course, there was the drill. We drilled there beaucoup, but we learned
a lot and lived through it. There were two days here no one wants to
forget. One, when we were guard of honor at a presentation ceremony
in Bordeaux, the only American troops there, and we felt ourselves quite
honored, for it was a big affair and many high French officials were
there ; the other when we paraded to the village with an improvised fife
and drum corps for the Fourth of July regimental games. Everybody
was happy and not too sober until the 20th of July, when we hiked one
moonlight night to Camp de Souge.
"Souge" was nothing but sand and heat and flies. But here we got our
new 155s, what the French call horses — incidentally, they were the begin-
ning of all our troubles — a new captain and some shooting on the range.
Running true to form, our cannoneers walked away with the honors in
the standing gun drill and our special detail ranked second in the brigade
in their examinations. It was here that Diamond Pete got his name and
Si Blanding took his 1918 bath. They told us all kinds of wild stories
about gas and tried to teach us to put on our masks in the regulation six
seconds — and then wear them for about three hours. It couldn't be done.
We thought we were some stuff about the time when we started for
the front. On September 7th we landed in Longeville in the rain and
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 91
camped in the most inaccessible spot that the officers could find. The
night we left there, the 8th, it was black and rainy and everything stuck
that possibly could stick. The firing battery was pulled by trucks, and
the "pests" hauled the combat train. Everybody got lost, everything
broke, all the officers and drivers fell asleep on their horses, nobody
knew how nor where they were going, and it was generally "one hell of
a trip." The combat train became an echelon and camped at Nixeville,
and the guns' went into position near Germonville.
We opened fire here for the first time on the night of the 11th, fired
from midnight until 11 in the morning and, much to everybody's surprise,
never got an answer from Jerry. Here at our first position we got a
little used to the war as we found it. We fired nearly every night, and
only once in a long while would get a shrapnel or two from the Boche.
We carried shells and shells and more shells. We had the usual spy
scares and gas alarms, but by the time we left we were even doing can-
noneers post in the afternoons. The new colonel paid us a visit and made
a few pointed and untcomplimentary remarks. After he left we meekly
cleaned and polished everything he had mentioned as being in need of
attention and looked like a regular battery when we took up our second
position at Chattancourt on the night of the 24th of September.
The firing battery always regarded the echelon as being nearly in the
S. O. S. and a place of perfect safety and ease. They perhaps ate a little
better than the gun crews and often had barracks to sleep in, but they
were forever being moved and had to care for the horses, which is in
itself a job, and they had all the battery property to handle. They, too,
were in the show. When they were located at Bois la Ville, for instance,
they learned how the Jerry bombers "opened the tail-gate" and also how
to tell the difference between an arrival and a departure. The battery
got the glory, but the echelon had its share of the work and troubles and
danger.
The second position was in the bottom of a wet, muddy valley, but
had the advantage of being close to a narrow-guage track, consequently
we did not have to do much carrying of shells. There was artillery of all
kinds and nationalities packed around us, and on the night of the first
Argonne offensive our valley was nearer to hell than most of us care to
be. We experienced our first gas here and lived principally on hardtack
and goldfish. We were shelled more or less, but the place gradually
became home to us, and we didn't mind. Lieut. Rees felt so much at
home that he used to walk his beat on the narrow-gauge in his stocking
feet until they began calling him the "Silent Trackwalker." A detail
was sent ahead from here to salvage a battery of German 150mm. that
the infantry had captured in Forges Woods. The detail lived chiefly on
92 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
the infantry and learned a little about how the doughboys fight. They did
not fire the guns, but they got a lot of good souvenirs.
We were only at our third position at Gercourt from October 13th to
21st but it was a rainy, muddy, wet week. Here Sergt. Reeves was
wounded. We had a little gas and a little shelling. The day before we
left the Boche planes photographed the place and that night just after
we pulled out the fourth piece they opened up and shelled the position
heavily, getting four direct hits on the executive shelter.
As we lived on through this man's war there grew to be a sameness
to it. Every time we moved it rained and the guns stuck in the mud.
We would always hear the same wild tales about what a dangerous place
we were bound for and inevitably it turned out to be nothing at all.
War to us became a mere drudgery, hard sweating labor carrying shells
or digging or hauling on the drag ropes and always there was the rain
and the mud.
Up to this time we were attached to the 33rd Division and were
relieved with them on October 21st. We had a week of rest in the
echelon grooming, feeding, watering and grazing our crow-bait. On the
night of the 28th we set out for Cote des Roches on the banks of the
Meuse. We did our best firing from this position and were highly com-
mended by the commander of the 79th Division to which we were then
attached. We had good dug-outs here, good grub which we bummed from
the infantry kitchens and not too much night firing. A "77" inadvertently
ricochetted off the bank and landed in our kitchen, puncturing some
perfectly good kettles and wounding O'Brian who had just come up from
the echelon to work in the ammunition detail.
On November 8th we were ordered to move ahead about two kilos
and went into the muddiest position in the sector. It took eight pairs
to pull each gun from the road to the position and the whole battery to
carry the shells. Here we lived through that historic day, November 11th.
We will never forget it but it was just like any other day to us except
for the strange silence of the afternoon.
Then our troubles began. We left the lines the 20th and were billeted
near Verdun until December 11th and then in Soulge le Bruant until
February 26th. All that time was one long unending drill, inspection and
clean-up. We got rid of all our accumulated dirt and cooties, were
inspected by everyone from General Pershing down to a private in the
Medical Corps, we were drilled with "rifles, helmets and gas-masks" day
in and clay out and we hiked hundreds of miles in all kinds of weather
until at last the millenium arrived and we entrained for Brest, setting
sail for home on the "America" on March 5th.
Our only Christmas in France was celebrated while in Soulge-le-Bruant,
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
93
and the gift of two hundred and fifty dollars received from "The Friends
of Battery D'' was used to wonderful advantage. None of us have been
very forward in expressing thanks to our many friends in Buffalo, but
that is due to the fact that we have all been mighty busy. Every man
in the battery fully realizes and appreciates the help, both moral and
physical, which has been rendered to us by our staunch supporters and we
are all deeply grateful.
So ends our career as a battery in the 106th Regiment of Field
Artillery and the biggest experience in any of our lives. Each man has
his own particular experiences to remember and no writer, no matter
how gifted, could possibly picture the scenes as they are in each indi-
vidual's mind. However if this article can serve to bring to mind any
of the experiences of the "Three Field Boofalo" it has accomplished its
end.
ROSTER OF BATTERY "D" 106TH REGIMENT
FIELD ARTILLERY
Xame
Pulleyn, John W.
Backus, Russell T.
Burrows, Edwin S.
Rees, Thomas E.
Smoot, Frank P.
Chatham, Robert C.
Acker, Edward A.
Arnold, Orla L.
Bache, Joseph
Badowsky, Frank
Balderston, Earl D.
Bardol, Wilson H.
Bartone, Lewis
Batter, Harvey I.
Beauchamp, Homer
Becarro, Paul
Benjamin, William
Berberich, Michael J.
Bertasso, Beniamin
Best, Robert D.
Biggins, Harry J.
Binder, Henry
Binga, Carlisle T.
Biviano, Joseph
Blanding, Clarence
Blanchette, John
Blasso, Angleo
Bohn, Frank
Brewer, Rubert N.
Briggs, Frederick A.
Broderick, John
Brown, Frank H.
Brumsted, Leon I.
Burley, Elmer D.
Rank Home Address
Captain 302 W. 107th St., New York City.
1st Lieut. 310 N. 10th St., Independence, Kan.
1st Lieut. 482 Franklin St., Buffalo, N. Y.
2nd Lieut, 1004 East Market St., Akron, Ohio.
2nd Lieut. Bowling Green, Va.
2nd Lieut. R.F.D. No. 9, Box 522, Dallas, Texas.
Cpl 93 West St., Haverstraw, N. Y.
Wagoner R.F.D. No. 4, Holland, Mich.
Pvt lcl 866 Amsterdam Ave., New York City,
Wagoner 428 Roosevelt St., Detroit, Mich.
Pvt lcl 698 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cpl Wilson, N. Y.
Pvt 387 Swan St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cpl 282 Seneca St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt Rumely, Mich.
Pvt Box No. 266, .South Range, Mich.
Pvt lcl 157 Monroe St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 158 E. 97th St., New York City.
Pvt 103 Hecla St., Laurium, Mich.
Cpl 87 Klaes St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Mech Wilson, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 4947 Cullom Ave., Chicago, 111.
Sgt 401 Emslie St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 101 Johnson Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 506 Madison St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt Ferndale, N. Y.
Bugler 74 Kever St., Corona, L. I., N. Y.
Wagoner 66 Kermit St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Greensboro, N. C.
Cpl 1102 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cpl 501 E. 82nd St., New York City.
Pvt lcl Derby, N. Y.
Pvt Oakfield, N. Y.
Pvt 224 Waverly St., Buffalo, N. Y.
94
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Name
Rank
Burmaster, Herman J.
Pvt
Burrows, Charles M., Jr.
Cpl
Burton, Charles A.
Pvt
Chmura, Frank
Pvt
Clini, Renato
Pvt
Collignon, Robert E.
Sgt
Compton, George J.
Pvt
Conklin, Frank
Pvt
Constantini, David
Pvt
Cramer, Alvah H.
Pvt
Crampton, John
Sgt
Crawford, Cornelius J.
Pvt
Crockett, Charles
Pvt
Cummings, Michael.
Pvt
Cutler, Cecil D.
Cpl
Damohn, John
Cook
DeGrafr, Leon E.
Pvt
Dclaney, Edward P.
Sgt
DiCarlo, Rosario
Pvt
DiOrio, Pasquale
Wagoner
Dietrich, William D.
Pvt
Doherty, Charles W.
Pvt
Dow, Monroe E.
Pvt
Drake, Howard S.
Pvt lcl
Dreyer, Joseph
Pvt
Durward, Gordon E.
Mech
Eberle, George L.
Wagoner
Eckrich, Andrew H.
Cpl
Fhmann, Adolph H.
Pvt lcl
Eichinger. Frederick J.
Pvt lcl
Ellis, Charles S.
Pvt
F.pps, Charles E.
Chf Mech
F.rzold, Harold D.
Pvt lcl
Fallica, Charles
Pvt
Fenello, Frank
Pvt lcl
Fields, Samuel J.
Pvt
Fisher, Henry J.
Pvt
Flisakowski, Frank
Pvt
Foley, Vincent A.
Cook
Foster, Spencer F.
Cpl
French, Eldon F.
Cpl
French, Lyman W.
Pvt lcl
Frolik, Emil J.
Pvt
Giles, Ralph K.
Mech
Gillman, David A.
Pvt
Given, James 0.
Wagoner
Glick, Harry
Pvt
Glisman, Ernest W.
Pvt
Gomeski, Emil A.
Pvt
Grzonkowski, Walter F.
Cpl
Guercio, Vincent
Pvt lcl
Gwiazdowski, Frank
Pvt
Harlach, Raymond F.
Pvt
Harlach, William J.
Pvt
Harris, Stanley V.
Pvt
Hartman, Charles L.
Sgt
Hayward, George F.
Wagoner
Helder, Richard
Pvt
Higgins, James B.
Pvt
Hill, Frank
Pvt
Hillyer, Roy M.
Pvt
Hitzel, Albert A.
Pvt
Home Address
Irving, N. Y.
128 Main St., Albion, N. Y.
Locust Grove, Okla.
316 Sweet Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
237 Corona Av., Long Island City, X. Y.
1633 Genesee St, Buffalo, N. Y.
2548 8th Ave., New York City.
31 William St., Peekskill, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
Moscow, Ohio.
417 Spring St., Lackawanna, N. Y.
334 W. 24th St., New York City.
1401 South 25th St., Kansas City, Kan.
304 Swan St., Buffalo, N. Y.
372 Maryland St., Buffalo, N. Y.
48 Lyman St., Buffalo, N. Y.
122 North St, Burlington, Vt.
1017 Albany St, Utica, N. Y.
358 Trenton Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
99 Beacon St, Buffalo, N. Y.
Route No. 8, Box 101, Brimfield, 0.
60 Olean Ave, Gardenville, N. Y.
Walton, N. Y.
3209 Main St, Buffalo, N. Y.
333 Ganson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Farnham, N. Y.
878 Main St, Buffalo, N. Y.
174 E. 80th St, New York City.
26 Ripley Place, Buffalo, N. Y.
300 Washington Ave, Batavia, N. Y.
72 West Huron St, Buffalo, N. Y.
90 Tracv St, Buffalo, N. Y.
Oakfield, N. Y.
878 Niagara St, Buffalo, N. Y.
626 Mission St., Niles, Ohio.
Hiram, Ohio.
126 Austin St, Buffalo, N. Y.
132 Robert Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Empire Hotel, Buffalo, N. Y.
17 School St, Batavia, N. Y.
2346 Fillmore Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Varysburg, N. Y.
Wavside, Wis.
Wilson, N. Y.
64 Pratt St, Buffalo, N. Y.
745 Fern St, Akron, Ohio.
120 E. 116th St, New York City.
687 Courtland Ave, New York City.
211 Mills St, Lockport, N. Y.
26 Brighton Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
250 Trenton Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
171 Lovejoy St, Buffalo, N. Y.
401 Emslie St, Buffalo, N. Y.
401 Emslie St, Buffalo, N. Y.
Sidnev. N. Y.
Williamsviile, N. Y.
97 Washburn St, Lockport, N. Y.
6206 So. Aberdeen St, Chicago, 111.
401 W. 53rd St, New York City.
47 East Mohawk St, Buffalo, N. Y.
147 Collins Drive, Miami, Fla.
63 Sanford St, Buffalo, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
95
Name Rank
Hogencamp, Jesse J. Pvt
Hubbell, William Pvt
Imera, Loretto Wagoner
Jackson, Sidney W. Sgt
Jacobs, David A. Pvt lcl
Janicki, Frank Pvt lcl
Jensen, Einer J. Wagoner
Johnson, Joseph E. Pvt
Judd, John G., Jr. Sgt
Juliano, Peter Wagoner
Juliony, Peter Pvt
Kaczmarck, Jacob A. Wagoner
Kaminski, Steven Pvt
Karmaly, Michael L. Pvt
Kane, Clarence Pvt
JCanygouskJ. Edward Pvt
Kapatanakis, John Pvt
Karin, Edward C. Cpl
Kecthe, Lawrence J Sup Sgt
Keenan, Andrew G. Pvt
Keller, August F. Pvt
Kellogg, Charles E. Pvt
Kellogg, Nelson P. Pvt
Kelly, Raymond P. Pvt
Kern, Fred Pvt
King, Charles Pvt lcl
Knab, Anthony L. Pvt
Lafand, James J. Pvt lcl
Lane, David B. Pvt lcl
Lang, George Pvt
Lapillo, Alexander Pvt lcl
Larson, Hilmer A. Pvt
Lawless, Toseph P. Wagoner
Lewis, Alfred J. Pvt
Lineaweaver, Harvey J. Pvt lcl
L.jnsmaier, Joseph P. Mess Sgt
Lipka, Joseph P. Pvt
Louchren, Thomas B. Wagoner
Mackenzie, Donald Wagoner
Mahn, William C. Pvt lcl
Mann, Albert F. A. Cook
Manueilo, Anthony F. Pvt
McCarthy, James Pvt lcl
McDonald, Samuel Pvt
McEntagert, Philip Pvt lcl
McSorley, Peter J. Cpl
McMahon, John E. Pvt
Merrill, Earl Cpl
Meldrum, Hugh R. Cpl
Mitchelson, Clayton E. Pvt
Moshier, Frederick A. Pvt
Moseuk, Stephen Pvt
Muratore, Joseph Pvt
Myers, George Wagoner
Nelson, George C. Pvt lcl
Nichols, Clarence E. Pvt lcl
Nichols, Cylus V. Pvt
Nowacki, John Pvt lcl
O'Brien, James B. Pvt
Ogilvie, Thomas Pvt lcl
O'Leary, Jeremiah J. Cpl
01.=inowicz, Anthony J. Pvt lcl
Home Address
26 Sproat St., Middletown, N. Y.
Akron, N. Y.
71 Clinton St., North East, Pa.
566 Humboldt Parkway, Buffalo, N. Y.
86 Shephard St., Buffalo, N. Y.
39 Walden Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
401 3rd Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
5024 West Erie St., Chicago, 111.
426 Crawford Ave., Detroit, Mich.
130 Myrtle Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
4 Cedar St., Watertown, N. Y.
75 Gorski St., Buffalo, N. Y.
75 Peter St., Buffalo, N. Y.
224 E. 32nd St., _ New York City.
554 Betts St., Cincinnati, Ohio.
335 Lion St., Dunkirk, N. Y.
821 Harrisson Ave., Chicago, 111.
Bennett Road, Dunkirk, N. Y.
615 19th St., Sacramento, Cal.
520 Seneca St., Buffalo, N. Y.
R.F.D., Alexander, N. Y.
R.F.D. No. 3, Williamstown, N. Y.
Strong, Me.
738 Columbia St., Utica, N. Y.
William St., Sloan, N. Y.
276 Devoe St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
91 Stanton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
23 Prospect Place, Newark, N. J.
794 Prospect Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
269 Carlton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
125 Young Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
321 Bird Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
2684 8th Ave., New York City.
1165 Genesee St., Buffalo, N. Y.
440 Nash St., Akron, Ohio.
1468 Genesee St., Buffalo, N. Y.
52 Alaska St., Sloan, N. Y.
95 Seneca St., Buffalo, N. Y.
41 Woodlawn Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
113 Goodell St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Box No. 18, Middleport, N. Y.
87 Downing St., Buffalo, N. Y.
137 Vandalia St., Buffalo, N. Y.
735 3rd Ave., New York City.
429 William St., Buffalo, N. Y.
127 So. Samgamon St., Chicago, 111.
30 Jefferson Ave., Batavia. N. Y.
500 Masten St., Buffalo, N. Y.
R.F.D. No. 2, Ashtabula, Ohio.
Waterville, Me.
242 Fulton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Dansvile, N. Y.
23 Mills St., Middletown, N. Y.
764 Melrose Ave., New York City.
418 Glenwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Plus, W. Va.
158 Ashley St., Buffalo, N. Y.
716 Avondale Ave., Toledo, O.
288 Purdv St.. Buffalo. N. Y.
549 W. 37th St., New York City.
336 Fillmore Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
96
THE WAR BOOK
Name
Rank
O'Neil, Paul E.
Pvt
Osborn, Clayton
Cpl
Paul, Clarence
Pvt lcl
Pelton, Raymond L.
Pvt
Phillips, Samuel J.
Pvt
Pietlukiwicz, Ignatz
Pvt lcl
Priester, Peter J.
1st Sgt
1'rior, John J.
Pvt
Reeve, Reginald C.
Sgt
Rechter, Ray
Pvt
Robinson, Lewis T.
Cpl
Robison, Merwin D.
Pvt
Ruckdeschel, Frank J.
Pvt lcl
Ruth, Preston G.
Cpl
Sanford, Joel
Pvt lcl
Schoonover, Alvah F.
Sgt
Sellig, Chas. A.
Saddler
Sell, Joseph S.
Pvt lcl
Semrau, Joseph
Pvt lcl
Siversten, Erling S.
Pvt
Smith, Clarence R.
Pvt lcl
Smith, Ernest E.
Sgt
Smith, George J.
Mech
Speer, Guy F.
Sgt
Stachnik, Joseph
Pvt
Stahlberg, Arthur H.
Wagoner
Stockdale, George D.
Pvt lcl
Stoehr, Arthur D.
Pvt
Stulick, Charles G.
Cook
Sutton, John T.
Pvt
Thomas, Joseph K.
Cpl
Torcello, William
Pvt lcl
Tripi, Marion
Pvt
Utz, Alfred J.
Bugler
Van Renessalear, Nathan B.
Wagoner
Vlasses, Mike
Pvt
Vought, John H.
Sgt
Walker, Earl T.
Pvt lcl
Walsh, Herbert G.
Wagoner
Walsh, Kenneth F.
Pvt lcl
Walsh, Norman F.
Pvt
Weick, Edward V.
Pvt lcl
Weisner, David T.
Pvt lcl
Welsh, Adam W.
Pvt lcl
Wheelan, Robert A.
Pvt
Wilke, Edwin W.
Chf Mech
Wilson, Clarence
Cpl
Wilson, William A.
Pvt
Witulski, Bronislaw
Pvt
White, Alvan A.
Sgt
Wood, Charles W.
Cpl
Wunt, George W.
Wagoner
Zalemski, Walter C.
Pvt
Zdrojewski, Stephen
Pvt lcl
Home Address
Cadosia, N. Y.
Oakfield, N. Y.
Farnham, N. Y.
171 Forest Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
2401 10th St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
97 No. Empire St., Wilkes Barre, Pa.
26 Linden Parkway, Buffalo, N. Y.
74 Pleasant St., Providence, R. I.
71 Gold St., New York City.
Alexander, N. Y.
Ebenezer, N. Y.
129 West Huron St, Buffalo, N. Y.
244 E. 26th St., New York City.
471 Koons Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
R.F.D. No. 3, Belmont, N. Y.
400 Forest Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
1563 Jefferson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
159 Ashley St., Buffalo, N. Y.
103 Oneida St., Buffalo, N. Y.
917 Central Park Ave., Chicago, 111.
7 South Federal St., Perry, N. Y.
Miami St, Buffalo, N. Y.
Washburn St, Lockport, N. Y.
Hazelhurst, Pa.
12 Short St, Buffalo, N. Y.
34 North Beaver St, Dunkirk, N. Y.
Willard, N. Y.
2 6th St., Ridgefield Park, N. J.
441 Spring St, Lackawanna, N. Y.
61 California St, Buffalo, N. Y.
503 Lafayette St, Brooklyn, N. Y.
240 Osterhout Ave, Batavia, N. Y.
672 Jefferson St, Buffalo, N. Y.
430 Tefferson St, Buffalo, N. Y.
South Dayton, N. Y.
432 Tuscarawas St, Canton, Ohio.
482 Franklin St, Buffalo, N. Y.
400 Forest Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
166 Adams St, Buffalo, N. Y.
515 W. 59th St, New York City.
166 Adams St, Buffalo, N. Y.
State St, Batavia, N. Y.
951 Fillmore Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
1001 First Ave, New York City.
208 Sumpter St, Brooklvn, N. Y.
222 Peach St, Buffalo, N. Y.
218 Box' Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
Commack, L. I, N. Y.
28 Townsend St, Buffalo, N. Y.
87 Altruria St, Buffalo, N. Y.
540 W. 122nd St, New York City.
16 Grant St, Buffalo, N. Y.
R.F.D. No. 2, Forks, N. Y.
72 Gladstone St, Buffalo, N. Y. ■
Battery "E"
BATTERY "E"
After six weeks at Camp de Souge once more we took the road.
Having absorbed all the knowledge of warfare that came our way, we
knew that at last intensive training was "finis" and very soon we would
be making Fritz uncomfortable. On this trip we did not use passenger
coaches but were introduced to "40 hommes, 8 chevaux" cars, known
in the states as side door pullmans. We weren't even packed in like
sardines for a sardine has, at least, room enough to lie out at full length,
so after four days of this most uncomfortable way of travelling, we
arrived at Longeville. It might be said here that a soldier never knows
where he is going, when he gets there he seldom knows where he is and
as General O'Ryan says "He isn't happy unless he is going somewhere
else," so when we arrived at Longeville and noted that the town was in
darkness and the order was passed along to preserve silence, we had
an idea that the enemy was probably in the next town or behind one of
the nearby hills. When we finally were unloaded and had camouflaged
ourselves and materiel under the trees, we were certain that the enemy
was all around us and when dawn broke and we had not been attacked
we were agreeably surprised. In fact we hiked five days before we learned
that the enemy was still about twenty miles away. When it is written
here that we hiked five days from Longeville those of us who made this
hike and read this will remember that it was probably the most trying
experience we have ever had, not only in the army, but in our lives. If
100 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
there was any more mud and rain in Flanders than there was enroute
to Baleicourt, Flanders must be an inland sea. Our schedule was to
march all night and rest in the day. It was like a nightmare to us all.
This was a short distance in the rear of the Verdun sector and out of
range of everything but the extreme long range guns of the enemy. A
few days later the crews that were to man the guns were chosen and
together with a few telephone and instrument specialists they left for
a forward position. The horses didn't seem to be doing their best and
the drivers seemed to be blind, as time after time the pieces went off the
road or into mud holes that appeared to be easy to avoid. Although we
were actually moving as quietly as though we were on a plush carpet
we thought that they could hear us in Berlin and every minute we ex-
pected a shower of shells. The deluge didn't arrive and before dawn we
had arrived at our destination, set our pieces in positions there all ready
to be occupied and were soon asleep.
By noon we had communication established and were ready to answer
that call that even the goldbricks don't fail to fall in for, mess. It was
on this day that we saw our first hostile aeroplane soaring high above us.
Before the day had passed we had witnessed a thrilling air battle and saw
one of our observation balloons brought to earth in flames by the machine
gun of a Boche aviator who passed through our anti-aircraft barrage and
back to his own lines unscathed. This soon became a common occurrence
and day after day from under the camouflage of our gun pits we watched
them come over, get a balloon and get away with it. Later we learned
that most of those we saw come over never got back as the machine guns
of the front lines or our aviators patrolling there usually avenged the
destruction.
And then one morning, when we were basking in the sun outside the
dugouts waiting for a call to fire, a Boche swooped down out of a cloud,
passed through a barrage of machine gun and anti-aircraft fire and as we
were shelled an hour later, it is evident that he photographed us. Just
as the men started for mess a sharp whizz came from nowhere, it seemed,
but it burst very near our position on the road. Needless to say, the mess
line was delayed and in quicker time than it takes to tell it, every one was
underground. The dugouts that had seemed as safe as a front seat at
the Palace now seemed about as safe as a cigar box and we found our-
selves trying to figure how deep a shell would have effect. And now
they were coming over in gangs. But curiosity proved greater than our
initial scare and ready to duck at an instant's notice, we listened, with our
heads out of the dugout entrances and followed the whizz to the burst.
Then came the granddaddy of them all with his whole family and the
gun crew in one of our dugouts found themselves supporting the roof
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 101
and a few tons of earth on their heads, backs and shoulders for the
granddaddy entered unceremoniously and spilled that dugout all over the
landscape. Result : one perfectly good gun crew rated wound stripes and
finished "la guerre" before a shot had been fired from our battery. That
night Fritz got busy again and spoiled a military graveyard a few hundred
feet forward of our position.
Still we did not retaliate, of course there were numerous reasons for
not doing so that we didn't know about, but there was one good reason
that we did have for doing so ; they smashed our dugout and wounded
our buddies and we sure were anxious to avenge them.
A few nights later we moved forward. By dawn we were before
Verdun, almost dug in and entirely camouflaged on the hill of "le Mort
Homme." At night, under cover of the darkness we improved and com-
pleted our position, for here we were not fortunate enough to find a
position ready to step into. In the daytime we carried shells from a
narrow gauge road at Chattancourt, a few hundred yards below us. To
carry one one hundred pound shell a few hundred yards over trenches
through barbed wire entanglements and up hill all the way is not a
pleasant task. To carry them all day is sure poison but to dig gun
positions all night and carry shells all day for two or three days, that is
sure what William T. Sherman was thinking of when he declared that
"war is hell."
On the morning of September 26th, 1918, before our shells were all
up in the positions we got the "H" hour and the big event, a gigantic
offensive and the initial drive on the all American front was started from
Verdun to the sea. As our guns opened fire, the last batch of shells were
being carried into the positions and then no one was tired. The writer,
then Gas N. C. O., had opportunity to see the gun crews as they could not
see themselves. Men who a few moments before were so fatigued that
they stumbled all over themselves were now cussin' merrily and sending
the big G. I. cans over about one hundred times as fast as they carried
them. Clouds of steam rose from the backs of the crews as they shoved
the shells home, pulled the lanyard and yelled good luck to the shells as
they went over the hurdle. They were too busy to note that the Boche
batteries had opened on us, that is all except Corporal Hoffman, for he
sure thought he rated a wound stripe when a piece of shrapnel hit him
on the Southwest corner, but much to his disgust it only dented him.
For three hours we sent them over and the guns on our flanks and in
rear and in front of us kept up the most terrible barrage that was ever
sent over.
And after our firing had ceased, the light guns still continued their
tattoo and along the road appeared a straggling line of German prisoners.
102 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
The result of our firing was not then known to us, but later we were
told that if we didn't receive a commendation we deserved one as our
targets were entirely demolished. We had caught and destroyed a train as
it attempted to pull to the rear. In a trench system and series of dugouts
we had killed and buried alive hundreds of the enemy. A battery that
had our range and was about to open fire on us was entirely demolished,
and right here and now it must be written that Captain Curtin can drop
those shells through a knot hole without touching the sides, for he proved
it then.
All along the line the advances made were more than satisfactory.
Numerous guns and materiel were captured and gun crews from the
regiment were sent forward to man a battery of German guns that had
been captured with enough gas shells to keep them going for days.
Each day, and at night, we were given objectives such as troublesome
machine gun nests or batteries and the result of our fire was gratifying,
and then again we advanced for the enemy was out of range. This time
we moved into the edge of a forest at Gercourt that had recently been a
German position. As we pulled in he greeted us with a few steel clad
tokens of his dislike for us and every day thereafter he reminded us that
he was still in the game. At that position in a damp gloomy wood, there
was good cause to be thankful that Fritz sent over about fifty per cent
duds, for one morning Roberts awoke and found that one had buried itself
in front of his dugout a few feet from where he was sleeping. Another
burrowed its way into the earth almost at Sheppard's feet and many that
came over would have put a lot of good men on the sick book, had they
burst.
At Gercourt we fired very little but the little that we did was up to the
standard that we had established in our initial engagement. It was about
this time that McCormick, the inebriate bugler reformed. Mac had
always been known to disobey orders as occasionally as he could, espe-
cially those of the first Sergeant. Mac had also been left with the reserve
at the echelon and on this particular occasion had come forward with a
load of rations and supplies. He reached the position at about dark. We
didn't know that he had reached the position until we heard him whisper
from the depths of the canvas topped wagon, "Hey, somebody take this
to the Captain, quick, will you? I gotter get right back; Springer told
me to hurry." Just then a shell burst in the distance. Says Mac, "Hey,
hurry up and unload those rations, Springer told me to get right back."
The rations unloaded and his messages delivered he told the driver to
start. Just then Sergt. Blumenfeld hailed him. "Wait a minute, Mac,
there is a message to go to Barrett." As he said this another shell burst
and Mac exploded. "Hell nun-no, Bookie, Springer wants me to hurry
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 103
like anythin," and that wagon made the ten kilos back in nothing flat and
Mac still insists that he saved a life by obeying an order even though it
was his own.
From Gercourt we retired to Bois la Ville, a rest camp, for then we
had been on the line for about six weeks. Heretofore a rest camp has
been described, but this time we didn't build railroads, we groomed horses
three times a day, fed them five times and after watering them three or
four times, grazed them when we couldn't do anything else for them, so
a week later we were glad the rest was over and once more we headed
for the line. This time we crossed the Meuse River and took up a
position on the road a short way from Samogneux with the river a
hundred yards to the rear of us. Here we were probably closer to the
enemy than at any other time and it didn't take him long to let us know
all about it. Our shelter was just about windproof, and that was all, for
now we had advanced to territory that had been no man's land for several
years and as dugouts weren't being built in no man's land, we had to be
satisfied to sleep under sheets of tin and improve on them daily.
Each day we fired and were fired upon. In fact we were fired upon
whether we fired or not and it was at this position that we received our
first severe gas attack. Every evening we could hear the bursts up the
road on our right and it didn't take many days for us to learn that Fritz
methodically swept his fire to the right, which caused us grave concern,
for we were the right and when he reached us he would just start to
send them over double time. Again we had some miraculous escapes but
there were some that didn't escape. Our Chief Mechanic, Phil Kunz,
was wounded here when a shell burst in his shelter. An Ordnance man
that lay beside him was so severely wounded that he died the following
day. Our firing at this position was in support of the 79th Division In-
fantry who were ahead of us in a hilly wooded country. Their advances
were slow but sure as every conceivable place sheltered enemy artillery
or machine gun nests. It was our duty to destroy them, which we did
with such success that we were highly commended by their General. And
then one day we had the first member of our Battery make the supreme
sacrifice. Corporal Arthur B. Finkelstein, better known to us as Little
Fink, had come up from the reserve at the echelon with some papers for
the Battery commander. He arrived just as Fritz started shelling, and
as he attempted to lead his horse off the road three shells burst directly
under him. The gas that Fritz sent over at this position was of the sneez-
ing variety and a more humorous sight than thousands of men all sneez-
ing cannot be imagined Perhaps had the concentration been a little
stronger we would not have thought it so humorous, but even the ele-
ments seemed to be with us for a high wind always seemed to spring up
104 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
at the most opportune moment and drive the gas skyward. Then came
the armistice rumors. By this time most of us were absolutely rumor
proof and anything that we believed had to be stamped "OFFICIAL" in
capital letters so we let them go through one ear and out the other and
continued our fire. But the big day came. We had been firing all night
in support of the doughboys ahead of us who were then advancing. This
on November 10th. On the morning of November 11th we were still
hard at it. Later on that same morning the rumor of an armistice grew
more persistent, and as the sun rose French troops began to pass us on
the road, hilariously drunk, either from joy or vin blanc, but we still kept
pounding away despite their advice that "La guerre est finis." Ten-thirty
still found us firing with no order to cease, but then we were almost cer-
tain that the end was near. Truck drivers and others who had never fired
a gun begged for an opportunity to pull the lanyard just once, so we soon
found a line waiting to fire a shot for the cause. The last shot of the
Battery was sent over by Lieut. Walker, a short time before eleven
o'clock, and then came the official order that at eleven a. m. hostilities
would cease. The gun crews celebrated the occasion by going back to
their bunks, for we were too fatigued to have a more fitting celebration,
but that night automobiles pulled through with headlights glaring, powder
cases were fired and signal rockets of all colors shot across the sky in
flocks as far as eye could reach. Just twenty-four hours before even a
lighted match would have brought down a deluge of shells, now the ter-
rain was as light as Broadway, and then we slept, slept without wonder-
ing whether we would wake in the morning or be issued a harp and some
wings.
We were not to be kidded, however. Fritz had established a reputa-
tion for himself that didn't cause us to have very much faith in his word,
so we followed him along a way, ready at a moment's notice to give him
another American argument, but he didn't stop to argue, and a few days
later found us in a position that he had only left a few hours before, at
Crepion. Here we discovered why he lasted so long. While we were glad
to sleep in a mudhole, he was living in concrete dugouts that were actually
palatial. In one there was an organ. In several others there were found
garments of the opposite sex, so it is supposed that when he finally lost
all these comforts he thought it time to quit. But the danger was not all
past, for when soldiers get to celebrating with overgrown rockets, Ger-
man rifles and ammunition and hand grenades, it is still satisfying to
know that dugouts still exist. The writer himself would sooner have
been in a shelled position than anywhere near Sergeant Woolley when
he was rabbit hunting with hand grenades. Still we came out of it with
only a few bruises, and then we decided that Fritz was sure on his way
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
105
for good, and we pulled for the rear and were soon billeted at Jardin-
Fontaine, a French military barracks between Thierville and Verdun.
Here we had an opportunity to visit Verdun, or all that was left of il,
and that was not much.
After a few weeks of doing squads East in the mud and rain, we
loaded our guns and bid the line goodbye. At the time, December 13th,
we thought that before the end of the month we would also bid France
goodbye. We also thought that the next month and the next and the
next, but — well, that's just a little way we have in the army.
Some more "40 hommes, 8 chevaux" cars pulled us into Laval, be-
tween Paris and the sea, a few days later and here we stayed for ten
weeks, being equipped, drilling, making a final offensive on the little
cootie bugs and between times eating up the food supply and taking a
drink or two or more.
ROSTER OF BATTERY E. 106TH FIELD ARTILLERY
Name
Rank
Curtin, John J.
Captain
Dunn, Marshall
1st Lieut.
Walker, William E.
1st Lieut.
Sponsel, Kenath T.
2nd Lieut.
Kelly, Irwin C.
2nd Lieut.
Smith, Raymond 0.
2nd Lieut.
Adamaszck, Joseph
Pvt lcl
Adamczak, Frank
Pvt lcl
Adamek, Stanislaus
Pvt
Andrews, William J.
Pvt lcl
Armson, William J.
Pvt
Balding, Wiley J.
Pvt
Bartos, Joseph
Pvt
Bastedo, Wesley M.
Pvt
Battista, Michaelo
Pvt
Bednarski, Antoni
Pvt
Bellardo, Lewis
Pvt
Blumenfeld, Maurice
Sgt
Boegle, Cristian A.
Pvt
Bojak, Frank
Pvt lcl
Bojak, Tony
Pvt lcl
Bojak, Wicenty
Pvt lcl
Pvt
Borowicz, Frank J.
Barrett, Nelson W.
Supl Sgt
Bringle, Paul S.
Pvt lcl
Brocik, John
Pvt
Brozyna, Watler
Pvt lcl
Bruckman, Peter S.
Pvt
Brzezinski, August
Mech
Buckley, James J.
Pvt lcl
Butler, Ferdinand J.
Pvt
Byrne, John
Pvt
Cebulski, Wawrzyniec
Pvt lcl
Compenelis, Philip
Sgt
Cook, Francis
Pvt
Home Address
113 Best St., Buffalo, N. Y.
3040 Lyndale Ave., Minneapolis, Minn.
Castine, Maine.
1429 E. 61st Place, Chicago, 111.
313 South Penn St., Wheeling, W. Va.
229 Miller St., Maryville, Tenn.
312 Peckham St., Buffalo, N. Y.
167 Playter St., Buffalo, N. Y.
457 Wasson Ave.. Lackawanna, N. Y.
508 W. 19th St., New York City.
86 Humasson Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Joe, North Carolina.
139 Sulkirck St., Buffalo, N. Y.
457 S. 14th St., Newark, N. J.
35 Evans St., Buffalo, N. Y
121 Germain St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Fallsington, Pa.
25 Bruce Ave., Yonkers, N. Y.
71 Wykoff St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
70 Sears St., Buffalo, N. Y.
48 Clay St., Buffalo, N. Y.
48 Clav St., Buffalo, N. Y.
71 Person St., Buffalo, N. Y.
785 Delevan Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
102 W. 64th St., New York City.
Saver Ave., Depew, N. Y.
63 Strauss St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
114 Gibson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
500 E. 118th St., New York City.
469 E. 185th St., New York City.
27 E. 81st St., New York City.
73 Bush St., Buffalo, N. Y.
126 N. Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1024 Sawyer Ave., Akron, Ohio.
106
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Name
Rank
Cosenza, Joseph
Pvt
Curtiss, Charles H.
Pvt
Czupryna, Walter
Pvt
DeCell, Arthur W.
Wagoner
Delaney, James H.
Pvt
Dick, Benjamin S.
Cpl
Domin, Antoni
Pvt lcl
Duryee, Joseph V.
Wagoner
Dysarz, John
Pvt
Dziuba, Jan
Pvt lcl
Edmonds, Earl E.
Wagoner
Edwards, Roy D.
Pvt
Eisenhauer, Alber G.
Pvt
Fisk, Clifton R.
Pvt
Foster, Herbert
Cpl
Gajkowski, Michael
Pvt lcl
Gardner, Charles
Pvt
Garner, Charles T.
Pvt
Gestwicki, Thomas
Pvt
Glamb, Jan
Pvt
Gless, Lewis
Pvt
Goldman, Max
Pvt lcl
Grabski, Anthony
Pvt
Graczyk, Frank
Pvt
Grudzinski, Stanislaw
Pvt
Grzonkowski, Joseph
Pvt
Gul, Jan
Pvt
Habowski, Martin
Cpl
Haeffner, George
Pvt lcl
Hammond, Bradley
Cpl
Hammond, Charles E.
Pvt
Harrigan, William J.
Pvt
Hickey, Roy F.
Pvt
Hoffman, Anthony
Pvt
Horst, Walter F.
Cpl
Huffman, Paul R.
Pvt
Hurd, James P.
Sgt
Irvin, Allen A.
Pvt
Jablowski, John J.
Cpl
Jackowski, John
Pvt
Janicki, Joseph
Pvt
Janicki, Luis
Pvt lcl
Januszkiewcz, John E.
Pvt
Jeziorski, Walter S.
Pvt
Johns, Raymond
Pvt
Jonak, William
Pvt lcl
Kahn, Joseph G.
Cpl
Kamrass, Ellis
Pvt
Kaplinicz, George
Pvt
Kazmierczak
Cpl
Kidzinski, Vincent
Pvt lcl
Kifner, Felix
Pvt
Kifner, Kazmierz
Pvt
Klaeger, Vincent A.
Pvt
Klimek, Stanislaus
Pvt lcl
Klowsinki, John
Pvt lcl
Klosinski, Joseph
Cpl
Knight, Eldon L.
Pvt
Konicki, Louis A.
Cook
Kozian, Stanley
Pvt lcl
Kozlowski, John
Pvt lcl
Kralick, Leo J.
Pvt lcl
Home Address
208 Vermont St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
718 Moble Ave., Bridgeport, Conn.
68 Lathrop St., Buffalo, N. Y.
40 Northland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
266 Center St., Chicopee, Mass.
29 N. 7th Ave., Mt. Vernon, N. Y.
120 Kyle St., Buffalo, N. Y.
733 DeKalb Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
370 Wilson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
164 Parish St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Unionville, N. Y.
227 Winslow Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
273 Walnut St., Buffalo, N. Y.
23 Curtiss St., Boston, Mass.
459 10th Ave., Long Island City, N. Y.
769 Sycamore St., Buffalo, N. Y.
20 Cottage Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
60 Courtland Ave., Norwich, N. Y.
218 E. Front St., Dunkirk, N. Y.
Center St., Lackawanna, N. Y.
91 Clymer St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
839 Fillmore Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
48 Reed St., Buffalo, N. Y.
20 Grimes St., Buffalo, N. Y.
281 Amherst St., Buffalo, N. Y.
26 Brighton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
447 Amherst St., Buffalo, N. Y.
96 Best St., Buffalo, N. Y.
9 Washington PI., Newburgh, N. Y.
215 W. 34th St., New York City.
East Hiram, Maine.
935 Richmond Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio.
100 E. 49th St., New York City.
161 Lombard St., Buffalo. N. Y.
282 Wolz Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
815 Carlisle St., Akron, Ohio.
719 Bailey Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
77 Horatio St., New York City.
229 Bernard St., Buffalo, N. Y.
543 Oliver St., Tonawanda, N. Y.
86 Broadwav, Buffalo, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
27 Lombard St., Buffalo, N. Y.
142 Person St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Box 38, Lloyd, Ohio.
463 Ingham Ave., Lackawanna, N. Y.
306 Central Ave., Dunkirk, N. Y.
231 W. 135th St., New York City.
142 Mohr Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
150 Milburn St, Buffalo, N. Y.
105 Woltz Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
1865 Clinton St, Buffalo, N. Y.
522 Amherst St, Buffalo, N. Y.
2441 E. High St, Springfield, Ohio.
470 Ingham Ave, Lackawanna, N. Y.
62 Guilford St, Buffalo, N. Y.
62 Guilford St, Buffalo, N. Y.
Dunellon, Florida.
96 Warren Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
1068 Broadwav, Buffalo, N. Y.
97 Germain St., Buffalo, N. Y.
25 Erickson Ave, Buffalo, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
107
Name
Rank
Kusal, Paul
Pvt lcl
Lantz, Daniel
Pvt
Lazareki, Walenty
Pvt
Lodzinski, Ignacy
Pvt
Looze, Edward
Sgt
Lukasik, Tadeus
Pvt
Lutz, John A.
Pvt
Madriascz, Jan
Pvt lcl
Maliska, Thomas
Pvt lcl
Marchetti, Robert P.
Pvt
Markowski, Ignacy
Pvt
Marzolf, Joseph B.
1st Sgt
Maturski, William
Pvt
Matuszeski, Walery
Pvt
McCormick, William M.
Bugler
McHenry, Ercolle E.
Pvt
McLaughlin, Herbert J.
Pvt
Mrlchior, Carlos
Pvt
Michalski, Ignatius
Sgt
Michalski, Ignatius
Pvt
Michlin, Felix
Pvt
Mikucki, Frank
Pvt lcl
Miller, Henry W.
Pvt
Morris, Thomas C.
Cpl
Mould, John F.
Wagoner
Mrowka, Stanley
Wagoner
Naczek, Kaiser
Cook
Niemiec, George
Pvt lcl
Ochowiak, Frank
Pvt
Olsen, Harry C.
Pvt
Pagen, Charles W.
Cpl
Pagano, Jake
Pvt lcl
Pawlowski, Walter
Pvt
Pecorelli, Patsy
Pvt
Pelka, Joseph
Cpl
Piasecki, Sigmund
Cpl
Pinske, Ernest
Pvt
Piontasik, Leonard
Cpl
Piotrowski, John
Pvt
Podyma, Peter
Pvt lcl
Podyma, Walter
Pvt lcl
Polcyn, Frank
Pvt
Poteran, Woicik
Pvt
Puzzella, Pitro
Pvt
Radziewicz, Joseph
Pvt
Rankin, Leroy R.
Pvt
Reichert, Joseph
Pvt
Roberts, Frank
Sgt
Robinson, Franklin
Pvt
Rode, John
Cpl
Romanink, Peter
Pvt
Rutkowski, Edmund A.
Cpl
Sheppard, Congdon P.
Pvt
Sierat, Jacobus
Pvt
Slopak, Adam
Pvt lcl
Smith, William C.
Wagoner
Sobczak, Vincent
Pvt lcl
Sopiski, Andrew
Pvt
Springer. Raymond G.
Sgt
Sulski, Joseph
Mech
Swanekamp, Charles
Mech
Swanson, Axel 0.
Pvt
Home Address
51 Sears St., Buffalo, N. Y.
527 S. Main St., Akron, Ohio.
Depew, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
Eden Center, N. Y.
166 Lovejoy St., Buffalo, N. Y.
146 Globe Ave., Jamaica, Long Island.
5 Second St., Tonawanda, N. Y.
152 Montgomery St., Buffalo, N. Y.
424 W. 4th St., Cincinnati, Ohio.
61 Moskigam St., Depew, N. Y.
281 High St., Buffalo, N. Y.
91 Loepere St., Buffalo, N. Y
4503 Smick St., Philadelphia, Pa.
401 E. 79th St., New York City.
130 N. Yellow St., Springfield, Ohio.
Massina, N. Y.
22 E. 19th St., New York City.
10 Person St., Buffalo, N. Y.
48 Beck St., Buffalo, N. Y.
19 1st Ave., Tonawanda, N. Y.
Forest City, Pa.
25 McAlavain St., Amsterdam, N. Y.
309 Baltic St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Montgomery, N. Y.
Williamsville, N. Y
253 Loepere St., Buffao, N. Y.
11 6th Ave., Tonawanda, N. Y.
251 Guilford St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Circle, Montana.
262 Highland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y
35 Evans St., Buffalo, N. Y.
9 Wilson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1113 Martn St., Utica, N. Y
1603 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
768 Fillmore Ave., Buffalo, N. Y
515 Nebraska Ave., Toledo, Ohio.
Buffalo, N. Y.
607 Fillmore Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
82 Reservation St., Buffalo, N. Y
32 N. Central Ave., Buffalo, N. Y
20 Reservation St., Buffalo, N. Y.
54 Mariner St., Buffalo, N. Y.
566 Parish St., Buffalo, N. Y.
235 W. Grand Ave., Springfield, Ohio.
60 Gibson St., Buffalo, N. Y
272 Clinton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1013 Church St., Richmond Hill, N. Y
Deposit, N. Y
235 Militarv Rd., Buffalo, N. Y.
1343 Fry St., Lakewood, Ohio.
686 Richmond Ave., Buffalo, N. Y
Buffalo, N. Y.
341 Amherst St., Buffalo, N. Y
356 Woodlawn Ave., Buffalo, N. Y
183 Kosciuszko St., Buffalo, N. Y.
40 Bridgman St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Englewood, N. J.
1094 Gennessee St., Buffalo, N. Y.
43 "C" St., Buffalo, N. Y.
3006 Sheffield Ave., Chicago, 111.
108
THE WAR BOOK
Name Rank
Szablewski, John Pvt lcl
Szczepaniak, Stanley Pvt lcl
Szymanski, Joseph B. Wagoner
Tasiemski, Stanley Pvt
Tesmerowicz, John Pvt
Tiburski, Albert Pvt lcl
Tomczak, Edward Cpl
Tomczak, Walter Pvt lcl
Usak, Lawrence Pvt
Verral, Ralph W. Sgt
Walentynowicz, Casimir Cpl
Walsh, William V. Pvt lcl
Way, Clayton Wagoner
Webb, Chester Pvt
Webb, Frederick Mech
Welch, William Pvt
Wesolek, Stanley Pvt lcl
Wesolowski, Adam Sgt
Wesolowski, Joseph Pvt
Wisniewski, Boleslaus Cook
Woicik, Vincent Pvt lcl
Wolf, John Bugler
Woolley, Arthur Z. Sgt
Wujek, Bernard Pvt
Wypychowski, Ignacy Cook
Vuda, Frank Pvt lcl
Zachmyc, Frank Mess Sgt
Zalewzki, Anthony Cpl
Zydowicz, Frank Wagoner
Home Address
287 Benner St., Buffalo, N. Y.
60 7th Ave., Tonawanda, N. Y.
91 Milburn St., Buffalo. N. Y.
Albany Hotel, Buffalo, N. Y.
40 Young Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
25 Sweet Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
726 Bailev Ave.. Buffalo, N. Y.
726 Bailey Ave.. Buffalo, N. Y.
447 Amherst St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Bayview Ave., Little Neck, L. I., N. Y.
440 Sweet Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
17 Main St., Hastings, N. Y.
202 Prospect Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
75 Buckingham Rd., Yonkers, N. Y.
91 Van Courtland St., Yonkers, N. Y.
2088 Amsterdam Ave., New York City.
113 Sheppard St., Buffalo, N. Y.
162 Leopere St., Buffalo, N. Y.
6 Browned St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1019 Sycamore St., Buffalo, N. Y.
947 Howard St., Buffalo, N. Y.
145 Courtland Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
584 VanCo'tland Pk Av., Yonkers, N. Y.
88 Beck St., Buffalo, N. Y.
393 Gibson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
293 Amherst St., Buffalo, N. Y.
54 Houghton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
318 Curtiss St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1295 Broadwav, Buffalo, N. Y.
Battery "F"
BATTERY "F," 106TH FIELD ARTILLERY
The guns were placed in
their first position near Beth-
lainville, and here we quietly
remained for more than a
week. The enemy aviators did
not venture close to our vicin-
ity owing, probably, to a fear
of our efficient Machine Gun-
ners, under the charge of Cor-
poral Kousky and Corporal
Croll, the latter more common-
ly known as Corporal Jam.
Occasionally Bethlainville was
shelled, and the next time we
went to mess Cooks Smith and
"Whity" Williams would give
us a vivid description of how
they "ducked in their Duck-
outs" and so escaped injury.
Soon we moved to a position near Dead Man's Hill and made ready
to play our part in the great Meuse-Argonne offensive, beginning the 26th
of September. That was a morning we will never forget. Neither will
the Germans who were in front of us. At noon the long columns of
prisoners marching to the rear were a testimony of our success. A
battery of German guns captured in this offensive were turned about
and manned by our own gun crews with Lieut. Hess as executive. They
fired seventy-five rounds at the Germans, receiving immediately in return
seventy-nine, all of which were well placed and very nicely adjusted.
While at Dead Man's Hill we were often troubled by gas, but felt secure
under the watchful eyes of our efficient gas and areoplane guards,
Wallace, Austin, Kessler, Williams, and Bowen. Kessler, with his mind
constantly on his duty, finally reached such a state of perfection that he
gave gas alarms while asleep as well as while awake with the consequent
interruption of half the Battery's sleep. Captain Schohl willingly excused
this, however, and stated that all of us are apt to make mistakes, which
was probably correct, with the exceptions of Boisvert, Acker and Bolinger.
After about a week in this position we advanced to Forges Woods
and then further to Gercourt. After a short stay at the latter place, we
withdrew to enjoy a few days' rest in Nixeville Woods. It was on this
112 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
return march that Lieut. Butterfield, with a Chariot de Pare, demolished
a French meat wagon and paid the damages with six packs of Piedmonts.
The Frenchmen were sorry he had destroyed only one of their wagons;
they willingly would have lost the others for half the price.
It was at Nixeville that we realized the difficulty of the proposition
confronting Lieut. Doherty, our ex-balloon observer, and the drivers.
Constant uninteresting work was their lot, and to them belongs fully as
much credit as to the men at the guns whose work, though hard and
continuous, was nevertheless interesting. The echelons were often
bombed at night, and on one of these occasions, even Lieut. Marcus
forgot to dress himself properly and to carry his gas mask at the alert.
After six days' rest at Nixeville, we moved the guns to a new position
near Samogneux. While on the road that night, near Glorieux, one of
Hartman's horses was seriously wounded, supposedly by shrapnel, and
was necessarily shot by Sergeant Roth, who was very proficient in this
art. At this gun position we were heavily shelled, and Corporal Fowler
was grievously wounded. Here at Samogneux Sergeant Holland's gun
was put out of action in what was the heaviest shelling experienced by the
Battery during the War. We were exceptionally fortunate. The organ-
izations on either side of us suffered heavy casualties, both in men and
horses, and had much materiel destroyed.
Soon we advanced to Ormont Farm, and the morning after taking up
our. position there the Captain read us the order to cease hostilities in
accordance with the terms of the armistice. That night trucks traveled
with glaring headlights, and the sky was illuminated by an endless suc-
cession of star shells. The front was transformed. "La guerre finis"
was heard on every hand. We would be home by Christmas or at the
very latest by New Year's.
After a few days allotted for the collection of souvenirs, we marched
to Jardin Fontaine Barracks at Verdun to remain until a train could be
brought to take us to the port of embarkation. It was delayed a short
time, during which we were taught how to do "squads right and left."
Finally we left, during an ordinary rain storm, such as is necessary for a
Battery "F" movement and, after a pleasant ride on army observation
cars, landed at Soulge, where our passage was delayed from week to
week, and we had plenty of time to enjoy to the full what the Captain
was pleased to call "the fruits of Victory." All the feather beds in
Soulge were soon occupied, and the Hotel de Notre Dame was doing a
flourishing business. Matrimonial tendencies soon became evident, espe-
cially with Bonomo, Wanat, Walthers and Acquard and, if promises are
worth anything at all, half of Battery "F" will be back in either Gradig-
nan or Soulge before the expiration of another year.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
113
Meanwhile uninvited visitors had insidiously crept in upon us and
hunting became a sport participated in at least half an hour each day by
every man in the Battery. Stroud was the most successful, but his
success cost him his room and made his return to America with Marie an
impossibility.
While at Soulge Captain Schohl was assigned to duty as Commander
of the First Battalion, and his loss was deeply regretted by all the Bat-
tery. During the many months he had been with us his just and upright
character and generous spirit had won for him the sincere respect of
every man in the Battery. Lieut. Devlin, held in like esteem with Captain
Schohl, was also assigned to duty elsewhere, while at Soulge, and the
loss of these two officers was' keenly felt by all.
Our new Battery Commander was Captain De Wolf, who claimed
he had seen worse but couldn't tell where. Under his command we soon
snapped out of Soulge and into Brest and back across the ocean.
Our army life is now only a memory. We have in our possession
that little square paper which was our ticket to civilian life. Yet as we
look back to the time we spent "Over There" we are not quite certain
after all whether we are happier now than we were then.
BATTERY "F," 106TH FIELD ARTILLERY
Roster of members of Battery "F," who were with the Battery during
its tour of duty at the Front.
Name Rank
Schohl, William F. Captain
Doherty, James A. 1st Lieut.
Devlin, Edward I. 1st Lieut.
Marcus, Marvin M. 1st Lieut.
Hess, Joseph R. 2nd Lieut.
Coxe, Eckley B. 2nd Lieut
Butterfield, Byron G. 2nd Lieut.
St. Marie, Andrian A. 2nd Lieut.
Widdicombe, Lester R. 2nd Lieut.
Sizer, William S. 2nd Lieut.
Acker, Cleland W. Mech
Acquard, Joseph F. Pvt
Acquard, Theodore J. Saddler
Aguglia, Gandolfo Pvt
Assimon, Gust. Pvt lcl
Austin, Ward B. Pvt lcl
Beckwith, Daniel Pvt lcl
Beebe, Clyde G. Pvt lcl
Bixby, Harry Pvt lcl
Bloomfield. Arthur W. Cpl
Boisvert, Leon Pvt lcl
Bolinger, William F. Pvt
Bonomo, Richard V. Cpl
Bowen, Albert V. Pvt lcl
Boxhorn, Joseph Cook
Braven, Harry O. Pvt
Brunnell, Stephen Pvt
Home Address
Main Road, Williamsville, N. Y.
12 Poplar St., Providence, R. I.
412 Palisade Ave., Yonkers, N. Y.
442 Linwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
384 E. Utica St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Philadelphia Club, Philadelphia, Pa.
Antrim, N. H.
119 South Ash St., Crookston, Minn.
330 Emmett St., Phcenixville, Pa.
Athens, Ga.
Lockport, N. Y.
Attica, N. Y.
88 Harriet St., Buffalo, N. Y.
136 Erie St., Buffalo, N. Y.
508 Pearl St., Buffalo, N. Y.
East Otto, N. Y.
Buffalo St., East Aurora, N. Y.
274 Washburn St., Lockport, N. Y.
Dayton, N. Y.
108 Avondale St., Brooklyn Manor, N.Y.
14 Gallatin Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
South William St., Moberly, Mo.
1452 71st St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
515 East Utica St., Buffalo, N. Y.
529 Monroe St., Buffalo, N. Y.
618 Jefferson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
137 Palmetto St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
114
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Name Rank
Burdick, Clarence Pvt lcl
Burgasser, Joseph Cpl
Caldwell, Fred A. Pvt lcl
Capotosti, Domenico Pvt
Chadwick, Walter L. Sgt
Church, Arthur R. Pvt lcl
Cioffi, Mike Pvt
Cody, Joseph E. 1st Srgt
Colins, David M. Corp
Conn, Robert W. Sgt
Croll, Lawrence J. Corp
Curtis, Donald D. Pvt
Daum, William W. Pvt
Davis, James W. Pvt
Demczyk, Adam Pvt
Donnelly, Frank J. Pvt
D'Ortona, Silvio Pvt
Dreher, Otto C. Pvt lcl
Duda, Peter Pvt
Dworczyk, Stephen Corp
Dworczyk, Walter Pvt lcl
Eckert, Harry W. Pvt lcl
Ehrman, Hubert L. Pvt lcl
Esposito, Alessandro Pvt lcl
Ertel, William Sgt
Falk, John A. Sgt
Filipiak, Simon Pvt
Finnerty, James A. Pvt
Fitch, Harvey A. Pvt lcl
Foltynik, Anthony Pvt
Fotch, Harry A. Pvt lcl
Fowler, Laverne A. Sply Sgt
Gradus, Nathan Pvt
Gray, Harry W. Mech
Green, Leo E. Pvt
Greenblatt, Benjamin Pvt
Gross, Arthur A. Mech
Greisbacher, Julius Pvt
Gulcz, John Pvt
Gustafson, Allen Pvt
Gustafson, Emil Pvt
Guyer, Milo Mech
Harney, Martin A. Pvt
Hartman, Henry Pvt lcl
Heller, Fred Mess Sgt
Hennig, Julius Mech
Hennigan, William Pvt
Heusinger, Nicholas Pvt lcl
Hobut, Clyde Pvt
Hodgson, Robert E. Pvt
Holl, Chester R. Bugler
Holland, Rest Sgt
Hubbard, Ray M. Bugler
Hurlihy, David H. Corp
Jablonski, John Pvt
Jackson, Mike Pvt
Jackson, Roger B. Pvt lcl
Jenkins, William P. Pvt lcl
Jensen, Emin K. J. Corp
Johnson, Fred A. Pvt lcl
Jones, Robert B. Corp
Junginger, John G. Pvt
Kalczynski, Bronislaus J. Pvt
Kalosha, Jacob Wagoner
Home Address
57 West Delevan Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Forest Road, Williamsville, N. Y.
758 19th St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
5 Fly St., Buffalo, N. Y.
170 Florida St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1504 Amsterdam Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
331 East 88th St., New York City.
525 Goundry St., No. Tonawanda, N. Y.
Snyder, N. Y.
267 Virginia St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cherry Creek, N. Y.
368 Longacre St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1141 Whitesboro St., Utica, N. Y.
444 Steelawana Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
669 Eagle Ave., New York City.
261 Myrtle Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
130 Herman St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Depew, N. Y.
1339 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
1339 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
367 Grider St., Buffalo, N. Y.
5543 Main St., Williamsville, N. Y.
40 Carruthers PI., No. Tonawanda, N. Y.
330 Koons Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cheektowaga, N. Y.
38 Houghton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Fulton-on-Hudson, N. Y.
Brockton, N. Y.
402 Sweet Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
131^ Jackson St., Batavia, N. Y.
Cherry Creek, N. Y.
191 Whitney PL, Buffalo, N. Y.
443 Forest Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
188 Court St., Buffalo, N. Y.
132 Blake Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y
501 Carlton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
46 Church St., Maspeth, N. Y.
989 Lincoln Ave., Milwaukee, Wis.
Lake Mine, Mich.
Cannonsville, N. Y.
Albany Hotel, Buffalo, N. Y.
Angola, N. Y.
63 East Ferry St., Buffalo, N. Y.
25 E. Huron St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Buckley, Mich.
Williamsville, N. Y.
Clebourne, Tex.
201 South Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
576 Humboldt Pky., Buffalo, N. Y.
369 Woodlawn Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cherry Creek, N. Y.
1622 Main St., Buffalo, N. Y.
739 Beecher St., Milwaukee, Wis.
Alpha, Mich.
754 Elk St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Williamsville, N. Y.
249 South Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Saginaw, Mich.
East Aurora, N. Y.
330 East 70th St., New York City.
SO Reed St., Buffalo, N. Y.
113 Fulton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
115
Name Rank
Kasprzak, Waclaw Pvt
Keogh, James A. Pvt
Kessler, Earl E. Pvt lcl
Kettis, William Pvt lcl
Kieber, Fred F. Pvt lcl
Kimmins, Benjamin Cook
Kingsbury, Corydon D. Sgt
Kinzly, William C. Corp
Knight, Charles H. Pvt
Knight, William Pvt lcl
Knoph, Emil Pvt
Kohler, Charles W. Pvt
Kononuik, Ludwig Pvt
Kosak, Stephen Pvt lcl
Kerstetter, Charles Pvt
Koslakowicz, Alois L. Pvt
Kousky, Julius Corp
Kramer, Fred Pvt lcl
Kramer, Paul Pvt lcl
Kretchman, Henry Pvt
Krigsholm, Henry Pvt
Krzyzewski, Stanley Pvt
Kunkel, Anthony J. Pvt
Kuntelos, Ernest Pvt
LaMante, Frank J. Wagoner
Langworthy, Richard O. Pvt lcl
Larson, Gustaf G. Pvt
Laundry, Alfred J. Pvt
Learman, Bertram H. Corp
Leh, Ludovich Pvt lcl
Lehman, William Pvt lcl
Lenahan, James T. Corp
Leuzzi, Joseph Pvt lcl
Light, Joseph F. Pvt
Link, William R. Corp
Linkletter, William Pvt
Linskoff, George Corp
Lucioli, John Pvt lcl
Mackey, Harrison Pvt
Malley, John J. Sgt
Martin, William Pvt
Matson, Fred W. Pvt
Mau, Clayton C. Sgt
Mauri, Peter Pvt lcl
McCullough, Daniel P. Pvt
McGranor, James Pvt
McMurray, Howard J. Sgt
Mendola, Joseph Pvt
Meyer, Walter G. Corp
Miller, Frederick J. Pvt lcl
Mulcare, George W. Pvt lcl
Musur, Walery Pvt
Nadrowski, Stanley Pvt lcl
Neu, Henry Pvt lcl
Nicholl, Hugh C. Pvt
Nisely, Dewey A. Pvt
Noble, Lawrence I. Pvt
Norgan, Gifford C. Pvt
Notonica, Charles L. fvt lcl
Oberst, Julius J. Pvt
O'Keefe, Francis J. Pvt
Pawlak, Anthony Pvt
Peterson, Frederick W. E. Wagoner
Peuchen, Wilfred S. Pvt
Home Address
77 Warner Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
385 Kramer St., Milwaukee, Wis.
291 Cherrv St., Buffalo, N. Y.
228 Genesee St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Mills St., Williamsville, N. Y
634 Hertel Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
158 Linden Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
74 Fredericka St., No. Tonawanda, N. Y.
215^ Bankes St., Batavia, N. Y.
1381 West Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
600 Arbutus Ave., Manistique, Mich.
1251 West Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
437 Bethlehem St., Lackawanna, N. Y.
213 Detroit St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1438 Seneca St., Buffalo, N. Y.
772 Grove St., Milwaukee, Wis.
213 East 81st St., New York City.
82 Halbit St., Buffalo, N. Y.
82 Halbit St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Ill Tenth St., Milwaukee, Wis.
4218 Tenth St., Calumet, Mich.
295 Lapland St., Milwaukee, Wis.
288 Devoe St., New York City.
79 Clinton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Montpelier, Vt.
Cherry Creek, N. Y.
160 Thaver St., Jamestown, N. Y.
409 Tuttle St., Alpena, Mich.
84 Sage Ave., Buffalo, ,N. Y.
50 Sawyer Ave., Depew, N. Y.
1207 Vyse Ave., New York City.
501 Third St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
78 Seneca St., Depew, N. Y.
304 Longacre St., Buffalo, N. Y.
1344 Madison Ave., New York City.
343 East 25th St., New York City.
Williamsville, N. Y.
10 Bleeker St., Toronto, Can.
Verplank, N. Y.
120 Walter St., Buffalo, N. Y.
132 Walter St., Buffalo, N. Y.
East Delevan Ave., Kenmore, N. Y.
Fredonia, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
Ill East Jewett Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
35 Parkdale Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Delevan, N. Y.
266 South Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
94 Nevada St., Buffalo, N. Y.
439 East 14th St., New York Citv.
413 West 56th St., New York City.
140 Penora St., Depew, N. Y.
308 Gable St., Buffalo, N. Y.
423 Johnson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
3309 Mystic St., Buffalo, N. Y.
345 Moselle St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Gowanda, N. Y.
Bay City, Mich.
313 11th St., Niagara Falls, N. Y.
176 Southampton St., Buffalo, X. Y.
610 Alexander St., Carthage, N. Y.
15 Concord St., Buffalo, N. Y.
17 West Eagle St., Buffalo, N. Y.
309 Goundry St., No. Tonawanda, N. Y.
116
THE WAR BOOK
Name Rank
Piedmont, John N. Sgt
Post, Alvin F. Corp
Purucker, William Pvt
Kinn, William F. Pvt
Roach, James H. Pvt
Roe, Homer C. Wagoner
Rogers, John F. Mech
Rosenhan, Raymond Wagoner
Roth, Fred Ch Mech
Rugg, Raymond P. Sgt
Rummell, Edward Pvt lcl
Russell, Fred H. Corp
Rydzynski, John Pvt
Savonen, Carl J. Pvt lcl
Scheier, Raymond E. Sgt
Schiffner, Henry Wagoner
Schindler, Thomas Pvt
Schlecht, Louis A. Pvt
Schuler, Ross P. Corp
Schultz, Robert Pvt
Schuteker, William O. Corp
See, Edward J. Pvt
Senger, Stanislaus Pvt lcl
Shein, Isidor Pvt
Sherwood, Louis Pvt
Silm, Vernon Pvt
Singer, Charles Pvt
Sitterle, Edward Pvt lcl
Smith, Edward J. Pvt
Smith, Henry L. Cook
Schalec, Joseph Pvt
Sola, John Pvt
Sosinski, Louis Pvt
Spiller, John J. Pvt
Staedtler, Herbert E. Pvt
Steinagel, Gustave H. Ch Mech
Stevens, William Corp
Stipien, Ignatz Pvt
Stroud.. George M. Wagoner
Sugg, John Pvt lcl
Szmania, Leo W. Pvt
Tere, Jan Pvt
Then, Edward P. Wagoner
Thorn, Edward T. Pvt
Tomkinson, Philip A. Corp
Vogel, Charles P. Pvt
Voit, Albert Bugler
Walker, Clarence Pvt
Walker, Harry Pvt
Wallace, Harry L. Pvt lcl
Wallace, Leonard L. Corp
Walthers, Edward Pvt lcl
Wanat, Stanley Pvt lcl
Washburn, Eugene P. Pvt lcl
Wetzel, Charles W. Pvt lcl
White, Eustace J. Pvt
Wilcox, Orsemous Pvt
Williams, Charles C. Cook
Williams, Richard M. Corp
Williams, Robert D. Sgt
Wilson. Hazelle E. Pvt
Wire, Lee Pvt
Wooster, Charles H. Pvt
Zawacki, Boleslaw Pvt
Home Address
171 Niagara St., Buffalo, N. Y.
214 Fletcher St., Tonawanda^ N. Y.
529 Genesee St., Buffalo, N. Y.
461 Linwood Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
202 Spencer St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Candor, N. Y.
7050 Idlewild St., Pittsburgh, Pa.
318 Watson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
161 Jefferson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
64 Moselle St., Buffalo, N. Y.
303 Wyoming St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Oil City, Pa.
144 Lewis St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Republic, Mich.
Lancaster, N. Y.
146 Murray Ave., Groshen, N. Y.
42 Frank Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
1074 Christian St., Buffalo, N. Y.
10 Orange St., Buffalo, N. Y.
200 Allen St., Buffalo, N. Y.
77 Edson St., Buffalo, N. Y
401 Massachusetts Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
142 Townsend St., Buffalo, N. Y.
921 Whitlock Ave., New York City.
46 Gallatin St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Silver Creek, N. Y.
283 Wallabout St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
57 Rvan St., Buffalo, N. Y.
211 East 56th St., New York City.
50 Eureka St., Buffalo, N. Y.
118 Spern St., Buffalo, N. Y.
867 Seneca St., Buffalo, N. Y.
247 Amherst St., Buffalo, N. Y,
636 Marcy Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
3716 Illinois Ave., St. Louis, Mo.
29 Rutgers St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Buffalo, N. Y.
52 Cliff St., Buffalo, N. Y.
103 Charlotte Ave., Detroit, Mich.
Forks, NY.
14 Brighton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
120 Main St., Buffalo, N. Y.
31 Kehr St., Buffalo, N. Y.
15 West Tremain Ave., Kenmore, N. Y.
59 Leroy Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Livingston Manor, N. Y.
529 Genesee St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Portersville, N. Y.
Bessmer. Mich.
703 West Delevan Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
703 West Delevan Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
95 Barrow St., New York Citv.
667 William St., Buffalo, N. Y.
423 East 138th St., New York City.
Williainsville Road, Forks, N. Y.
Silver Springs, N. Y.
Bliss, N. Y.
98 Walden Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Eldred, Pa.
42 Mariner St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Kirkwood, N. Y.
144 Vandergrift St., N. Tonawanda, N.Y.
Sidney, N. Y.
20 Neoga St., Depew, N. Y.
Supply Company
THE SUPPLY COMPANY
Reveille blows. We are
back in Camp Wadsworth in
the winter of 1918. It is still
dark and cold as it only is in
the sunny South. Now it be-
gins to grow light, and you can
distinguish the faces which
form into line. First Sergeant
Sawyer calls the company to
attention in that quick, terse
way of his. Rolls are called.
That incomparable Road Ser-
geant, Tom Donnelly, who can
drive more mules by himself
than any other living man,
heads the first section. But
what happened to him when
the company left for France?
Sergeant Fulop, who can keep
his temper longer and make
others work more humorously
than most men, had just drop-
ped into place as the last notes
of the bugle sounded. They
tell a story of the way in which
he turned the whole wagon
train around under fire one
dismal black night which some
of us won't forget. Go further down the line, and you will recognize
Sergeant Walters, eager and energetic, whose knowledge of John Mules'
troubles was so great as to almost procure him a commission in the Vets.
Nothing better than to see him playing with John's hind feet. Roach was
also once a corporal till his independent spirit clashed with his rank. And
Craft did the rest. There, too, is Corporal Carrigan, a better you will go a
long way to find.
In line are those inseparables, Scotty and Mike Pratt, both over six
feet, and able to take care of themselves very well. Red Whalen, who
was as cool under shell fire as in his own bunk. Chief Mechanic Glor,
120 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
who was at Liberty to Dodge the Quads in the Alley, but who could
Hardly a Ford to spoil his new Denims; Stanton, who wondered why
General Pershing wanted to win Alice Lorraine from the Kaiser; Happy
Bender, who had more close shaves at the front than any other man in
the A. E. F. ; Tony De Luca, better known as "Steela da helm," who
lost his "mask o' gask" and "riff" and left a string of broken hearts
behind him in France ; Sam McDonald, who found that cider was worth
$2.24 per quart in Argentre; Forbes, who achieved a reputation as a
chicken king while in France ; Rebesher, whose voice could be heard even
above the grating of the Quads ; Oliver, who collected salvaged Fords
at the front; and Cawthard, who camouflages his hirsute lock by wearing
his overseas cap even while asleep.
Carl Lautz, too, stood in line in those days, and later became first
sergeant, until he was taken with pneumonia on the trip over, and died
in St. Nazaire on July 16th, 1918.
"Squads left," and we're off to feed the pets their morning mess. As
pretty a picket line of mules as you'll see in the army, for never does any
one of them have to subsist on the meagre nine pound ration that the
Government allows them, thanks to the rustling abilities of Roach and
Kirk. Some say Dad Friar had the best four up; others think it's Quin-
livan. Beckley, too, had a wild collection. Truth is, even they havn't
much over the others, and when the whole train is strung out, you'd have
a hard job choosing between them. Three times they covered the twenty-
five mile hike to the Glassy Rock Range in three days, and only two
mules went lame.
And then came mess call. There was real meat for breakfast in those
days, for did not Colonel Hines insist on good food? We ate well, and
boasted that none ate better. Coddington, who later achieved undying
fame through his pancakes at the front, Shepard and Finkelstein and
Schlosser saw to that. It was here that Red Whalen was promoted to
the grade of Bread Sergeant and overseer of the K. P.'s. It was not his
duties that most bothered Red as much as the kind of chevron he was
entitled to wear. About now appeared on the scene the real brains of the
Regiment — Regimental Supply Sergeants Hilton, Wiegand and Mac-
Donald. If ever the Q. M. lived who could outwit them, he has not yet
been seen. No less able were their assistants, Abe Sisitsky, who per-
formed miracles in feeding the regiment on nothing at all. It is said that
on their return voyage aboard the "America," "Major" Green was
worried about the list to port of the boat; but the reason for this was
discovered by the "Verdun Kid" Turner, who found that Abe Sisitsky was
shifting his position on the boat. Sergeant Kyttle is "off" the French,
some little French boys put one over on him by taking his raincoat out
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 121
of his Ford right under his very eyes; Dave Trotman, beaming with
thoughts of the girl he left behind; Luke Voss, who keeps the ordnance
property under lock and key, and at times some which isn't ordnance,
and Sergeant Klug, who can run a general store in a shelter tent;
Mechanic Cocco, too, arose late in the morning; he came to believe in the
universal brotherhood of man when he was left outside a dugout during
an air raid.
After breakfast a Ford could be seen swaying down the road at break-
neck speed. Crash, and it stopped in front of the Supply Company. Out
jumped Captain Jack, followed by Lieutenant Farley, and the day's work
began. Captain Jack was at his best those days ; he knew everything and1
ordered everybody. He had enough supplies to equip two or three regi-
ments and a surplus to cover all shortages. Only rarely do officers
inspire the devotion which he received from his company. Who will
forget the Christmas dinner, and his smile when we gave him a fine pair
of riding boots? J. Ford Lubick was his chaufeur, and kept the car
running day and night, even when he had to put "waseline on the waives."
Perhaps the best time we had was at the range. The winter was over,
and we had more freedom th^n at Camp Wadsworth, and the Supply
Company needs freedom. Work was heavy over the eight miles of
bottomless mud roads from Camp o' Bello, but who cared? Supplies
came in, and moonshine was plentiful. Manure could be swapped for
eggs, and we lived well. Rumors of changing mules for motors never
materialized, and it was with a mixture of sorrow that we turned in the
old stand-bys, and left for France, as a motorized outfit, only to be
changed back again on arrival and receive the French variety of our old
friend, Juhn Mule, to the consternation of all concerned. We scored on
the rest of the Brigade, by getting fully equipped at Newport News and
beating them over by two weeks. The French variety of mules had to
be fed five times per day, grazed and groomed, and even then wouldn't
stand up to real work, and it was not till after the armistice that we got
our Quads, and proceeded to tear up French roads and smash down
bridges and brick walls of cemeteries, which abound in France.
The last billet in the Chateau was almost up to our first at Gradignan.
Here we found the "S. O. S." meant "See Other Shirts," and wore out
our skins getting rid of the cooties. We had time to look on the Vin
Blanc when it was red, and rest on our hard won laurels. For when all
is said and done, the Skinner and his Mule is the back bone of the armv.
122 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
ORDNANCE DETACHMENT
This organization came into being at Camp Wadsworth. We were
transferred from the various batteries of the regiment when all were
laboring under the delusion that horses were to go and motors were to
come. Motor doctors we were to be with a lesser practice in gun surgery.
We did fuss with motors now and then but they never arrived in force.
When the batteries took up positions in the line we were split up
into detachments of two or three men and assigned to the various
positions. If something went wrong with a gun we fixed it. If the
detail at the position could not do it Sgt. Osborn always had the faculty
•of showing up when there was trouble and knowing just what to do.
Although we were always billeted with the Supply Company and
messed with them we always kept our identity as a separate organization.
In that organization were our friends and intimates and of the best of
them was Corp. Laporte who was billeted at Battery "E's" position near
Gamogneux.
Of course we will be remembered as the odd job squad but more than
that Blucher, the German police dog found near Verdun and known to
all the Regiment, belongs to us.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY
123
SUPPLY COMPANY, 106th FIELD ARTILLERY
Name
Abbots, James F.
Barnes, Frank B.
Beckley, Piatt R.
Bender, John M.
Bensch, Albert H.
Bresee, Arthur J.
Brigham, Warren
Budzynski, Joseph F.
Campbell, Harry G.
Campbell, Ambrose
Campbell, Walter L.
Callahan, Lawrence
Card, Floyd C.
Casey, James F.
Carrigan, Charles O.
Cawthard, George H.
Cidderella, John F.
Cocco, Joseph
Coddington, Tracy M.
Conklin, Arthur
Cota, Rufus L.
Craft, John J.
Crittenden, Walter R.
Crouch, Fred L.
Dannemiller, Leo J.
De Luca, Sebastiano
Entwistle, John J.
Falvo, William J.
Farley, Theodore R.
Fenton, Harry M.
Forbes, Maxwell H.
Freeman, Samuel
Freier, Howard
Friar, Omer
Finkelstein, Samuel
Fulop, Charles F.
Galloway, Frederick L.
Glor, Frederick
Goetz, Peter
Goodenough, George
Grey, Joseph
Gransberry, Harry V.
Green, John M.
Greer, Harold J.
Halcott, Harvey S.
Hauptman, Charles F.
Herman, Floyd C.
Hilton, James A.
Holloran, William J.
Hulbert, John T.
Ivey, James A.
Jobe, Charles R.
Kelley, Edward F.
Klug, William H.
Knauth, Oswald W.
Kyttle, Frederick J.
Lee, James H.
Laird, John B.
Littmann, Benny
Rank Home Address
Pvt lcl 712 John St., Peekskill, N. Y.
Corp East Branch, N. Y.
Wagoner 50 East St., Oneonta, N. Y.
Pvt Oneonta, N. Y.
Pvt 150 Montgomery St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Brainardsville, N. Y.
Pvt West Windfield, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 172 Meyers Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Cook Cooperstown, N. Y.
Cook Cooperstown, N. Y.
Wagoner Cooperstown, N. Y.
Pvt Toddsville, N. Y.
Pvt Unionville, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Elmwood PL, Utica, N. Y.
Corn 5 Lawn Ave., Oneonta, N. Y.
Corp 343 New Abbey St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 119 Vernon Ave., Long Island City, N. Y.
Mech Batavia, N. Y.
r00k Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 402 Main St., Peekskill, N. Y.
Pvt 44414 N. Bellinger St., Herkimer, N. Y.
Wagoner Colliersville, N. Y.
Mech Williamsville, N. Y.
Pvt 228 Main St., Oneonta, N. Y.
Pvt 455 Grant St., Akron, Ohio.
Pvt lcl 127 William St., Newburg, N. Y.
Pvt 779 Mary St., Utica, N. Y.
Wagoner 217 Ann St., Rome, N. Y.
Capt 47 N. Main St., Ipswich, Mass.
Pvt lcl 16 Main St., Lockport, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 213 Madison Ave., New York City.
Mech Akron, N. Y.
Wagoner 446 Jefferson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 763 Main St., Catskill, N. Y.
Mess Sgt 406 Elk St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Sgt 797 Logan St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Wagoner 520 Gotham St., Watertown, N; Y.
Mech Sherman Ave., Wyoming, N. Y.
Wagoner Oneonta, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 112 Levan Ave., Lockport, N. Y.
Corp 7 Clinton PI., Bronx, N. Y.
Wagoner Hamletville, N. Y.
Pvt 715 Prospect Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 1024 Morris St., Utica, N. Y.
Wagoner 227 Monhagen St., Middletown, N. Y.
Wagoner 124 Peckham St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 185 No. Division St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Reg Sup Sgt 193 Swan St, Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 92 Brookline Ave, Brookline, Mass.
Pvt lcl 330 Ninth St, Troy, N. Y.
Pvt R. F. D. No. 3, Legrange, N. C.
1st Lieut Lemoyne, Pa.
Wagoner 411 Arthur St, Utica, N. Y.
Sgt 288 High St, Buffalo, N. Y.
1st Lieut Princeton, N. J.
Reg Sup Sgt 59 Murrav St., Binghamton, N. Y.
Wagoner 145 James St., Utica, N. Y.
2nd Lieut Butte, Mont.
Pvt 150 No. Eighth St, Brooklyn, N. Y.
124
THE WAR BOOK
Home Address
2 Warden St., Binghamton, N. Y.
247 Pine St., Buffalo, N. Y.
33 Roosevelt Ave., Endicott, N. Y.
Clarks Mills, N. Y.
36 Fargo Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
146 West North St., Ilion, N. Y.
13 Lewis St., Belton, S. C.
77 Prospect St., Ilion, N. Y.
251 Lake View Ave., Rocksville Center,
N. Y.
8 Margaret St., Binghamton, N. Y.
303 Third St., Albany, N. Y.
189 Kingsley St., Buffalo, N. Y.
210 East Genesee St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Route 6, Wanesha, Ohio.
704 2nd St., Utica, N. Y.
409 Pearl St., Buffalo, N. Y.
4 Mendelsohn St., Binghamton, N. Y.
Dannsville, N. Y.
328 Franklin St., Buffalo, N. Y.
187 Cedar St., Watertown, N. Y.
Thomsonville, Conn.
1190 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
R. F. D. No. 3, North Otto, N„ Y.
Falls Mills, N. Y.
Perry, N. Y.
585 Prospect Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
890 Clinton St., Buffalo, N. Y.
21 Sherwood Ave., Binghamton, N. Y.
114 Peck St., Buffalo, N. Y.
300 So. West St., Ironwood, Mich.
135 North St., Buffalo, N. Y.
131 Harvard PI., Buffalo, N. Y.
228 High St., Buffalo, N. Y.
268 West 126th St., New York City.
ORDNANCE DETACHMENT 106th FIELD ARTILLERY
Name
Rank
Lincoln, Harry G.
Pvt
Lubick, Albert
Pvt
Lupole, James W.
Wagoner
Marsh, Earl D.
Mech
MacDonald, Robert A.
Reg Sup Sgt
Moolick, Earl W.
Pvt lcl
Moore, James C.
Pvt lcl
Moss, Wilbur
Cook
Oliver, William
Wagoner
Pratt, Warren
Wagoner
Quinlivan, John J.
Pvt
Radtke, Eugene
Wagoner
Rebesher, Charles
Wagoner
Ritisher, Henry J.
Wagoner
Roach, Edward J. R.
Pvt
Schlosser, Charles
Cook
Scottibo, Paul L.
Corp
Sheehan, James B.
Pvt
Shepard, Alfred C.
Cook
Singleton, Leon B.
Pvt
Sisitsky, Abraham
Wagoner
Smith, Albert R.
Pvt
Smith, Clarence I.
Wagoner
Squires, Robert F.
Wagoner
Stanton, George
Pvt
Sweet, James A.
Wagoner
Trotman, David W.
Pvt
Turner, John F.
Wagoner
Voss, Carl E.
Pvt
Ulasich, Matt, Jr.,
Pvt
Walters, Frank M.
Pvt
Webber, John D.
Capt
Wiegand, Edward C.
1st Sgt
Whalen, John J.
Wagoner
Name
Osborne, William R
Squires, William L.
Berry, John F.
Savini, Dominic J.
Martin, Edward L.
Domres, Ferdinand E.
Warwick, William T.
Mioducki, Felix
Boyd, John C.
Collins, Emmett
Schleizer, John F.
Kralich, John F.
Raby, Frederick
Lewis, William E.
Jones, Robert
Pacini, Guy
Willing, Theodore
Edwards, Nathan
Rank Home Address
Ord Sgt 3 South Park Ave., Buffalo, N. Y.
Ord Sgt 180 Hawley St., Binghamton, N. Y.
Ord Sgt 11 Chenango St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Sgt of Ord 71 Duerstein St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Sgt of Ord 132 Walter St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Sgt of Ord 20 Alvam St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Sgt of Ord New Paltz, N. Y.
Corp of Ord 1066 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
Corp of Ord P. O. Box 524, Middletown, N. Y.
Corp of Ord 1902 Niagara St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 260 Sherman St., Rochester, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 105 Ericson St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 3577 Calumet St., East Falls, Philadel-
phia, Pa.
Pvt lcl 421 Otto St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl 133 Thames St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Pvt 38 Ganson St., North Tonawanda, N. Y.
Pvt 1328 Chisholm St., New York City.
Pvt Maple Ave., Allegheny, N. Y.
Died of wound on November 3rd, 1918, at Brabant, France:
La Porte, Michael Corp of Ord 1446 71st St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Medical Detachment
.MEDICAL DETACHMENT
On September 4th, the Regiment moved by train, in four sections, on
its first lap of the journey to the front, and the Detachment was equally
divided to form details for each section.
Our trip by rail lasted about fifty hours, and beautiful rural France
was enjoyed by everyone. Then we arrived at Longeville, a little town
not far distant from the city of Bar le Due. On the evening of the 8th,
we started over the road for the front. A few were fortunate enough to
have horses, but because the Regiment was handicapped by shortage of
them, most were not able to ride. After our first night's venture of
twelve hours, during which time our rolling kitchens came to the rescue
and gave us coffee and lunch, we arrived at 8 a. m., at the little town of
Issincourt. where we rested during the day. At dusk we started out once
more for another night's hike, finally stopping at Nixeville Woods the
morning of September 10th. Here we remained until the evening of the
11th, amid a downpour of rain; then departed on our last lap of the
journey.
The nights were black, and the travelling was rather difficult. It was,
however, an experience few will forget. The men were always wet and
tired, horses sick, and the road not easy to find; while many halts, due
to mired guns, failing animals and blocked roads, always delayed our
movements considerably. One thing was noticeable as we progressed on
our journey, and that was the ever increasing appearance of ruins and
devastation.
128 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
We halted at 5 a. m. on the morning of the 12th of September at the
little shell-battered and rat-infested village of Baleicourt. Here the
details for the three battalions were made, for although the batteries were
not very far apart, the details from the respective battalions had their
duties to perform which kept them apart. A part of the Detachment was
always kept in the echelon of the regiment caring for the sick and pro-
viding medical supplies for our details at the gun positions.
While at Baleicourt we had our first air raid, when several bombs
were dropped without casualties ; but it served to introduce to us what
treatment was to follow. Indeed, it seems that if an effort had been made
to bring us under fire gradually and to promote steadiness, that it could
not have been done better; first air raids, then observation of bursting-
shells, then a little shelling of the gun positions, followed by night marches
and infinitely worse, halts under fire.
On September 12th the regiment participated in the St. Mihiel offen-
sive, which was a prepared attack, made by the First American Army on
the right of the sector occupied by the 17th French Corps. On Septem-
ber 21st, our men had their first real opportunity to do first aid work.
This was at Bethlainville, with the Third Battalion, when shelling from
the enemy began at 5 :30 p. m. One of Jerry's shells had made a direct
hit on one of Battery E's dugouts, and a call for first aid was passed on
to us immediately. As a result of the caving in of the dugout, it was
necessary to evacuate five men with fractures, but evacuating at that par-
ticular time was very difficult, in that it was necessary to send a mes-
senger six kilometres to Sivry La Perche for ambulance service.
On September 22nd, all batteries were brought into position at Chat-
tancourt, just back of Dead Man's Hill (Mort Homme), where in 1916.
over 500,000 French and Germans fell. There we established three dress-
ing stations ; two were in dugouts, while the third was in a roadhouse
shelter, enlarged and improved on by the Second Battalion detail. This
place was constantly being shelled, as some 75 batteries at its immediate
rear were drawing the fire. The village of Chattancourt was then but a
mass of ruins, the only evidence of the village having been there was one
fragment of a wall marked "Telegraph Office," which still remained
standing. As the dressing station of the Second Battalion was on the
road, many wounded of the other organizations who filtered back from
the front, along the ravine and the road, were dressed there .
On September 26th, the Meuse-Argonne offensive was begun, a pre-
pared attack. We were still attached to the 33rd Division of the Third
U. S. Army Corps. This was a memorable night, from midnight until
5 :30 the next morning, our guns in connection with those of the other
regiments of our 52nd Field Artillery Brigade, and the French Artillery,
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 129
put over a terrific and most wonderful barrage, terrible yet awe-inspiring.
The 131st and 132nd Infantry Regiments went "over the top/' crossed a
swamp and drove the Huns out of the first, second and third line trenches,
and continued sending them back about ten kilometres. The Division
carried all of its objectives.
On September 27th, when it seemed that the Medical Detachment was
fully occupied with six scattered batteries and several echelons and
stations at the rear, we were presented with a full battery of 150s, cap-
tured by the 130th Infantry. This battery was in a particularly exposed
position. A detail from the regiment worked the guns effectively, and
Sergeant Burdett represented the Medical Detachment, utilizing German
medical material. They were under heavy artillery fire frequently, but as
usual, there were no casualties. This battery fired on the Germans until
October 23rd.
From October 3rd to 7th, there was an attack on the Brieulles, par-
ticipated in by the Fourth Division on our left, supported by the 52nd
Field Artillery Brigade. This position was near the Hill de Raffincourt,
and our first aid station was established in a dilapidated, bomb-proof
dugout; but after cleaning it and putting it in good condition, it served
the purpose well. Then we took up new positions outside of Gercourt.
Here no other shelter or dugouts being available, a tent fly was pitched
at the corner of Bois Sachet to serve as a dressing station. The whole
was effectively camouflaged with branches, but a battery of 155 rifles were
just to the rear, and sleeping in this shelter was an impossibility when the
rifles were in action. Still, Sergeant Driscoll remained there faithfully,
slept on the wet, water-soaked ground, and performed his duties with a
smiling face.
Later another dressing station was established in rear of this, on the
side of a hill where a large shell hole was dug out and enlarged and
covered over with sheet iron. Here Sergeant Sullivan and Private 1st
Class Bloomer worked with untiring efforts.
A prepared attack by the 17th French Army Corps, Major General
Claudel commanding, followed, and the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade was
transferred to them with the 33rd Division for the purpose of the attack
on Bois de Chaume, Bais Plat-Chene and Consenvoye, which objective
was gained. On October 14th, there was a prepared attack by the 29th
Division in the Heights of the Grand Montagne, and it was the next day
that our Detachment suffered its first loss, Captain Charles D. Cromwell,
M. C. then commanding the 2nd Battalion detail. He was evacuated
sick to the hospital. From that until the 21st, the Brigade assisted the
33rd Division in holding and organizing the positions attained by them.
On October 16th First Lieut. Hayes, M. C, was transferred sick to the
130 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
hospital, and that part of the regiment at the front, was left with Captain
Graban, M. C, as the only doctor. Major Hinds, regimental surgeon and
the Commanding Officer of our detachment, was busily engaged at the
echelon shortly in the rear of our guns; and it was there that those tem-
porarily disabled, yet not too seriously to be lost by evacuating to hospitals,
were sent and cared for. A request to the Division Surgeon, 33rd Divi-
sion, for medical officers to replace the two we had lost, met with ho
success, for apparently there was a great scarcity of medical officers at
that time.
The brigade was relieved from duty with the 33rd Division on Octo-
ber 25th and became attached to the 79th Division. From the 25th to the
30th, the men who had worked at the guns, retired to the rear, at Bois la
Yille for a short rest and clean-up. A memorandum issued by Major
George Bell, Jr., U. S. A., Commanding General of the 33rd Division,
under date of October 28th, expressed the latter's appreciation of the
invaluable service and assistance the Brigade had rendered, and for the
uniform, earnest and efficient manner every request was met by the men,
contributing in a great measure to the success of the 33rd Division in
those operations
After the rest at Bois la Yille, we were again ready to start out with
the regiment to take up new positions. There was a fascination about
the life at the forward positions, though full of hardships and sacrifices,
which appealed to each one of our men, and made them all keen to get
back to their work. Even during the most serious moments, the men
assumed the optimistic air, while much fun and sports of varied types
were indulged in during the odd moments. Although casualties in our
regiment had been few7 prior to this, our men had plenty of opportunities
to apply their first aid knowledge, for many wounded infantrymen were
cared for at all times.
The guns arrived at Samogneux midnight, October 30th, after six or
eight hours' hike. Here the regiment was under practically constant shell
fire, and it was here and during our advance until the date of the armistice
that most of our work was done. On October 31st, while on their return
from dinner. Sergeant Fink and Private Stevens with the 2nd Battalion
detail, were wounded by fragments from shell burst. The former suffered
a severe wound accompanied by a hemorrhage, and was immediately
evacuated to a hospital. Throughout his career at the front, Sergeant
Fink showed steadiness and courage in his work. Stevens' wound was
less severe, and did not necessitate his evacuation.
On November 3rd, about 9 a. m., near Brabant, there was a heavy
shell fire from the enemy. While at their work giving first aid. Captain
John C. Grabau, M. C, Private 1st Class Walter Shields, and Privates
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 131
Dominick Ceroni, Mathew and Sigmund Gaczewski were wounded.
Man}- organizations were in position here, not only the artillery of the
26th Division, but also a number of infantry echelons, making it difficult
to procure suitable and sufficient room or shelter for dressing stations.
The station of the 3rd Battalion was the most exposed to fire, but the
work of those just mentioned, and Sergeant Sullivan, Sergeant Bell,
Privates Bloomer and Blaisdell was commendable. Sergeant Driscoll was
always seen where there were casualties, and relieved the Medical Officer
of much work, being a very dependable man. Captain Grabau and Shields
and Ceroni were evacuated to a hospital. The Gaczewski brothers were
not evacuated and remained on duty with the detachment. It was during
this time that Bell's courage and unending efforts in evacuating wounded
by ambulance to hospitals, earned for him later a commendation for
exceptional gallantry.
Major Hinds was now the only Medical Officer left with the regiment,
and was occupied most of the time. Near our positions, were the 304th
Engineers and the 313th Infantry; and these men, without medical atten-
tion, were also cared for by us. Lieut. McGraw, from the 105th Field
Artillery, was loaned us, when the medical officers were reduced to one,
and assisted much during the short time he was with us.
For the enlisted men, it can be said that they did wonderful work
under fire, and never sought cover when there was work to do. The
men doing the less interesting work at the echelon acquitted themselves
admirably. They worked where work was to be done ; built dugouts,
groomed mules or did sanitary work with equal good will. During Major
Hinds' absence with the batteries, the really trying work was done by 1st
Lieut. Sutton, D. C, very ably assisted by Sergeant 1st Class Boeckel.
Neither of these men had any opportunity to distinguish themselves with
the batteries, but their ability and energy is of the highest order.
132
THE WAR BOOK OF THE
ROSTER OF MEDICAL DETACHMENT, 106TH FIELD
ARTILLERY
(Including all members of Detachment from time of leaving for front.)
Name
Adams, Walter
Arttnan, Guy R.
Bell, Louis J.
Bloomer, Albert
Boeckel, Fred W.
Botkin, Henry R.
Brown, King W.
burdett, Ellis J.
Burns, Thomas E.
Ceroni, Dominiek
Driscoil, Cornelius P
Driscoll, Joseph P.
Evers, Herbert H.
Farrell, Tohn A.
Fink, Harold J.
Gaczewski, Sigmund
Gaczewski, Mathew
Gasseling, William
Gatsos, Pete J.
Graczyk, Frank
Higgins, Clifford W.
Jenkins, Edgar H.
Neubach, Frank W.
O'Grady, John F.
Parks, David M.
Phillips, Arthur C.
Sears, Lewis
Shields, Walter
Smith, Greeley E.
Sperrfechter, Frank
Stevens, William H.
Sullivan, Francis X.
Rank Home Address
Pvt Honorably discharged in Europe.
Pvt Whitestown, Ind.
Pvt lcl Bloomingburg, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Batavia, N. Y.
Sgt lcl 568 E. Utica St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl St. Marys, Ohio.
Pvt Gillette, Ark.
Sgt Batavia, N. Y.
Pvt 40 Ford Ave., Ogdensburg, N. Y.
Pvt Wounded and evacuated to hospital.
Sgt Died at hospital, December 1st, 1918,
from accidental burns.
Pvt lcl 187 W. Utica St., Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 126 Childs St., Warren, R .1.
Pvt lcl 432 55th St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Sgt Wounded and evacuated to hospital.
Pvt 1342 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt 1342 Broadway, Buffalo, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Toppinich, Wash.
Pvt 200 Third Ave., South Seattle, Wash.
Pvt Silver Lake, Minn.
Pvt 114 Forbell Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Warsaw, N. Y.
Pvt Evacuated to hospital Dec. 11, 1918.
Pvt 214 S. Water St., Kent, Ohio.
Pvt Senoia, Ga.
Pvt Bvhalia, Miss.
Pvt 326 North St., Middletown, N. Y.
Pvt lcl Wounded and evacuated to hospital.
Sgt 908 Pennsylvania Ave., Elmira, N. Y.
Pvt 113 Lake Ave.. Middletown. N. Y.
Pvt Oakfield. N. Y.
Sgt 649 Carroll St., Brooklyn, N. Y.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 133
HEADQUARTERS, 52nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
Bulletin, No. 1. January 2, 1919.
The following record of service of this Brigade in the American
Expeditionary Forces is published for the information of all concerned :
Arrival in France
Troops Date of Sailing Date of Arrival
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade June 30th, 1918 July 12th, 1918
104th Field Artillery June 30th, 1918 July 12th, 1918
105th Field Artillery June 30th, 1918 July 12th, 1918
106th Field Artillery June 6th, 1918 June 18th, 1918
102nd Ammunition Train June 14th, 1918 June 27th, 1918
102nd Trench Mortar Battery June 6th, 1918 June 18th, 1918
Artillery Training Period
At Camp de Souge, France, July 17th to August 30th, 1918.
Troops :
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
Minor Operation
Occupation of front line sector in support of the 33rd Division, in the
17th French Corps, First American Army, September 9th, 1918.
Troops participating :
Hdqrs., 53nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery Entire Regiment less 2nd Battalion
106th Field Artillery Entire Regiment less Batteries B, E and F
102nd Ammunition Train All
( )ccupation of front line position in support of 18th French Division
17th French Corps, north of Verdun, September 9th, 1918.
Troops participating :
105th Field Artillery Second Battalion
The 33rd Division took over Hill 304 and Mart Homme Sectors from
the 157th and 120th Divisions of the French Army on September 8-9th,
134 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
the 104th Field Artillery and the First Battalion of the 105th Field Ar-
tillery relieving the 53rd Regiment A.C., French. The Second Battalion
of the 105th Field Artillery relieved the 33rd Regiment A.C., French in
the sector on the right of the 33rd Division. These sectors were held
defensively until September 25th, 1918.
Bottle
St. Mr ii iel Offensive, September 12, 1918.
Troops participating :
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
The St. Mihiel offensive was a prepared attack, made by the First
American Army on the right of the sector occupied by the 17th French
Corps, and was participated in by an artillery demonstration by all of
artillery in the French Corps, including the units of the 52nd Field Ar-
tillery Brigade above named. The Brigade was in action from 1 hr. to
18 hrs, September 12th, 1918. Batteries B, E and F, 106th Field Artillery
were in reserve.
Battle
Meuse- Argon ne Offensive (On west bank of the Meuse, between
Bcthincourt, Forges, Gercourt and Dannevoux) , September 26th, 1918.
Troops participating :
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
This was a prepared attack. The 33rd Division was the right Division
of the III U. S. Corps, which was the right Corps of the First American
Army. The 80th Division was on our left, and the units of the 17th
French Corps occupied the sector to the right of the First American
Army, but made no Infantry attack. The 33rd Division carried all its
objectives, including the Hagen Stellung, and organized the sector for
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 135
defense along the west bank of the Meuse from Danncvoux to Forges.
During this attack, the 212 R.A.C., French (9 Batteries), and the Second
Battalion 308 R.A.L., French (3 Batteries), were attached to the 52nd
Field Artillery Brigade. The 102nd Trench Mortar Battery was in reserve.
Minor Action
Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Forges, Consenvoyc, Danncvoux, Mcusc River Sector, September
27th-October 2nd, 1918.
Troops participating :
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
This action consisted of holding the right flank of the First American
Army along the west bank of the Meuse River from Forges to the
westerly edge of the Bois de le Cote Lemont during its organization for
defense by the 33rd Division under continual observed artillery fire. The
102nd Trench Mortar Battery was in reserve.
Engagement
Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Attack on Brieullcs, October 3rd-7th, 1918,
Troops participating :
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
This attack was the continuation of an attack by the First American
Arm}, participated in by the 4th Division on our left, supported by the
artillery fire of the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade. The Trench du Teton,
just south of Brieulles, a strongly held field work, and the enemy works
in the town of Bricitlles itself, had prevented the advance of the 80th Di-
vision for several days. The 80th Division had been replaced by the
4th Division for the purpose of the attack. The position was taken and
136 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
enabled the troops of the First American Army to the west of Brieulles to
advance in the direction of Dun-sur-Mcuse. The 102nd Trench Mortar
Battery transported ammunition to battery positions with its motor equip-
ment.
Battle
Meuse- Argon ne Offensive.
Attack on Bois de Chaumc, Bois Plot-Chene and Consenvoye, Octo-
ber 8th- 1 3th, 1918.
Troops participating:
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
This was a prepared attack by the 17th French Corps, Major-General
Claudel commanding, to which Corps the 33rd Division and the 52nd
Field Artillery Brigade were transferred for the purpose of the attack, and
were on the left flank. The 29th Division was on our right and the 80th
Division, III U. S. Corps, on our left. The original plan called for the
participation of one Battalion of the 132nd Infantry, supported by the
Machine Gun Battalions, the artillery being organized into a groupment,
consisting of the 104th Field Artillery, Second Battalion of the 105th Field
Artillery, and the Second Battalion of the 106th Field Artillery, under
command of Colonel Emery T. Smith, 106th Field Artillery, for the direct
support of the attack, the remainder of the Brigade being at the disposal
of the Division Commander for additional artillery support. As the
attack progressed, the amount of opposition which developed required
the reinforcement of the attacking troops by the entire 66th Infantry
Brigade, supported by all the Machine Gun Battalions, under the command
of Brigadier-General Wolfe, which Brigade was subsequently relieved by
the 65th Infantry Brigade under command of Brigadier-General King.
The Infantry of the 33rd Division on three successive days carried its
attack to its objective opposite Giselher Stellung, but was ordered each
time to retire, to make contact with the 29th Division on its right, which
had been unable to overcome the strong enemy opposition in the Bois
de Consenvoye, Bois de la Grande Montague and Bois d'Ormont. Dur-
ing this battle over 5,000 prisoners were captured by the 17th French
Corps. The 102nd Trench Mortar Battery was in reserve and transported
ammunition to battery positions with its motor equipment.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 137
Battle
Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Attack on Heights of the Grande Montague, France, October 14th,
1916.
Troops participating:
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery Hdqrs., 2nd Battalion. Batteries C. D & E
105th Field Artillery 2nd Battalion
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
This was a prepared attack by the 29th Division on the Heights of the
Grande Montague, which was supported by the fire of the above men-
tioned units of the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade, and was intended to push
forward the line of that Division to the objective previously attained
by the 33rd Division. The 26th Division Infantry (French) was on the
right of the 29th Division. The enemy strongly opposed every attack,
and but slight advance was made by the American troops, who sustained
heavy losses through machine gun and artillery fire. The 102nd Trench
Mortar Battery was in reserve.
Minor Operation
Met 'se- Argon ne Offensive.
Vilosnes, Sivry, Bois de Chaume Line, October 15-21, 1918.
Troops participating:
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
This action consisted of supporting the 33rd Division in holding and
organizing the position attained by them and held under heavy observed
artillery fire continuing day and night. In addition to the work of supply-
ing ammunition to battery positions with its motor equipment, the 102nd
Trench Mortar Battery had four guns in action during the night of
October 20-21. 1918. in an attack on Vilosnes.
Relief
On October 21st the 33rd Division was relieved by the 15th French
Colonial Division and the 52nd Field Artillerv Brigade was relieved by the
138 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
Divisional artillery of this Division. The Brigade then proceeded to rest
areas as follows :
I tdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade Diene
104th Field Artillery Bois de Cinq Freres
105th Field Artillery Bois la Ville
106th Field Artillery Bois la Ville
102nd Ammunition Train Fauberg Pave, Verdun
102nd Trench Mortar Battery Fauberg Pave, Verdun
( )n ( )ctober 25th, the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade was detached from
the 33rd Division and attached to the 79th Division. The 52nd Field
Artillery Brigade, as part of the 79th Division, took over the Grande
Montague sector on the east bank of the Meuse, occupied by the 29th
Division, the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade relieving the 158th Field Artil-
lery Brigade on the nights of October 28-29 and 29-30, 1918.
Minor Action
Meuse- Argonne Offensive.
Grande Montague, Bellen Bois, and Bois d'Ormont Sector October
29th-November 1st and 2nd, 1918.
Troops participating :
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
This action consisted of holding the Grande Montague, Belleu Bois,
Bois d'Ormont front line under continual artillery and machine gun fire,
with direct observation from the enemy positions in Haraumont and Bois
d'Ormont. The Brigade was supporting the 79th Division, which was in
the 17th French Corps. The 15th Colonial French Division was on its left
and the 26th U. S. Division on its right. The III U. S. Corps was, on the
left of the 17th French. Corps. The 102nd Trench Mortar Battery was
in reserve.
Battle
Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Dun-sur-M ease, France, November 1-2-3, 1918.
Troops participating :
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 139
This was a prepared attack by the III U. S. Corps to advance the line
held by them along the Cunel-Brieulles Road and further to the west of
the Mouse and from Brieulles to Dun-sur-M euse to the north, which
resulted in the forcing of the enemy off the heights on the west hank of
the Meuse. The attack was supported by a demonstration fire by the
52nd Field Artillery Brigade.
Battle
Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Attack on Haraumont Ridge and Borne du Cornouiller, France,
November 4-7, 1918.
Troops participating :
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
This battle was started by a reconnaissance in force by the 158th In-
fantry Brigade in the direction of Borne du Cornouiller, and two recon-
naissances in force by the 157th Infantry Brigade in the direction of Bois
de la Grande Montague toward Rez'ille and Etraye, in conjunction with
the attack on the left by the 15th Colonial French Division, and developed
into an engagement involving the entire 158th Infantry Brigade and a large
part of the 157th Infantry Brigade. After repeated attacks on the Borne
du Cornouiller, the enemy was forced to retire, and the 79th Division,
pivoting on their right, advanced their left to Solfcrino Farm, connecting
up with the 15th D.I.C.F., which had crossed the Meuse at Vilosncs,
taken Haraumont Ridge and reached the farm. The 79th Division in
this advance broke through the Gieselher Stellung and the Kriemheld
Stellung. the 102nd Trench Mortar Battery was in reserve.
Battle
Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Operations resulting in the capture of Reville, Etraye and Crepion,
November 8th. 1918.
Troops participating:
Hdqrs.. 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery . All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
140 THE WAR BOOK OF THE
This was an advance by the 79th Division through the Bois de la-
Grande Montague, Bois d'Etrayes, Bois\ de Wavrille, Belleu Bois, Bois
de Chene, and Bois d'Ormont, resulting in the capture of the towns of
Revillc, Etraye, Wavrille and Crepion. On November 7th, the II Colonial
French Corps took command of the troops formerly constituting the 17th
French Corps, General Claudel remaining in command of the II Colonial
French Corps. The 102nd Trench Mortar Battery was in reserve.
Battle
Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Operations against Cote du Romagne, Cote du Morimont, and Cote
du Chateau, November 9-11, 1918.
Troops participating :
Hdqrs., 52nd Field Artillery Brigade All
104th Field Artillery All
105th Field Artillery All
106th Field Artillery All
102nd Ammunition Train All
102nd Trench Mortar Battery All
This was an advance by the 79th Division, including an attack on the
high, abrupt Hills 328, 319, Cote du Morimont and Cote du Chateau, rising
from the plains east of the Tinte Brook, opposite Damvillers, which were
strongly prepared positions in the Kriemheld Stellung, dominating the
plains and held with aggressive persistence by the enemy because of
their strategic importance. The 157th Infantry Brigade succeeded in
capturing Hills 328 and 319. The 158th Infantry Brigade was obliged to
attack the Cote d'Orne {Hill 356), although outside of its sector, because
of its dominating position on their left flank, and and made four successive
attacks thereon without effecting its capture. The action was in full pro-
gress upon the termination of hostilities by the armistice going into
effect at 11 hrs., November 11th, 1918. The 15th Colonial Infantry
Division French was on the left and the 27th U. S. Division on the right
of the 79th Division. The 102nd Trench Mortar Battery was in reserve.
By Command of Brigadier-General Wingate:
WALTER H. SCHOELLKOPF,
Captain, Field Artillery,
Acting Adjutant.
106th REGIMENT FIELD ARTILLERY 141
TELEPHONE CODES
Owing to the possibility of the enemy listening" in on telephone con-
versations messages at the front are trasmitted in code whenever possible.
For example, numbers are represented by letters as in the "Republican"
number code, in which each letter of the word represents the numbers, one
to zero, R-l, E-2, P-3, U-4, B-5, L-6, 1-7, C-8, A-9, N-O.
A regimental order covering this is reprinted below :
"Ammunition reports will be encoded and transmitted by telephone in
the following manner: —
Emplacement one received 400 O. A. shell, 300 F. A. she'll, 300 I. A.
L. fuzes, 400 S. R. fuzes, 300 B. S. P. powder, 400 B. G. 5 powder, 700
primers, expended 200 F. A. shell, 100 S. R. fuzes, 205 primers. On
hand 955 O. S. shell, 800 F. A. shell, 600 I. A. L. fuzes, 579 S. R. fuzes,
600 B. S. P. powder, 400 B. G-5 powder, 800 primers
Coded.
ROUNDHOUSE R COMFORT UNN LOAFERS PNN HUM-
MERS PNN PERFECTO UNN PANETALLAS PNN HERCLES
UNN SAMPSON INN BUTTS BROKEN ENN HUMMERS RNN
PANETALLAS ENB BUTTS DIFFICULT ABB LOAFERS CNN
HUMMERS LNN PERFECTO BIA PANETALLAS LNN SAMSON
UNN HERCLES CNN BUTTS.
CROUPE OES CANEVAS OEIIR
Vso.ooo? MONTFAUCON
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